


You Should Leave, Baby

by dawons



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Cabin Fic, Chanhee is a little shit, Dabin + Hwitae are background, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Hwiyoung is shy, Inseong is trying his hardest, Jaeyoon is a vlogger, Juho is sad, M/M, Sanghyuk is a Youtuber, Seokwoo is a struggling actor, Summer Vacation, Taeyang is a college student, Youngbin thinks Sanghyuk is attractive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-09-02 14:21:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16788664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawons/pseuds/dawons
Summary: Dealing with what could be the end of his career, Seokwoo feels he has nothing left to lose when he accompanies Youngbin and his friends to a remote cabin nestled somewhere far from his home city.However, when he meets a certain vlogger, he suddenly realizes that he might just have found the one thing to keep himself afloat.





	1. Chapter 1

** sunday.  **

The airport, filled with the haze of milky dawn light, is quiet at five in the morning. Seokwoo leans back idly, his friends talking too loudly beside him. Though their excitement bubbles up through the air, practically oozing out of them, Seokwoo can't shake the weariness that settles within himself.

  
They must be the only four there, aside from the workers and flight attendants taking a break or preparing by the snack bar for their day. Seokwoo wishes their group was only three, that he hadn't been dragged here to go on some trip Youngbin wouldn't share the details of.

  
Seokwoo rolls his shoulders back, lifting his phone out of his pocket to check the time. Seeing himself in the display's reflection, he grimaces. His hair is plastered back with sweat, and his face mask is lopsided, nearly brushing the skin underneath one of his eyes while the other side dips down, resting on the bottom of his cheek. He adjusts it, running his hand up his face to card through his hair.

  
"Seok'," one of his friends pipes up, grinning as he leans forward. His blonde hair is hidden underneath a black baseball cap, skin aglow with the bright orange overhead lights that hum above them. "Are you excited?"

  
"I'm exhausted," the darker haired boy confesses, pulling his mask down to his chin fully. "Why are you so happy?"

  
The blonde pulls off his hat, fixes his hair, and pops it back onto his head. "I'm ready for a vacation. My classes have been killer this term," he laughs, crossing his legs. Now it's Youngbin's turn to get involved, standing up in front of the two. He stretches, light brown hair flopping down in front of his eyes. He brushes it back into position.

  
"I feel like I should tell you where we're going." His eyes trail over the group, and his smile falters when he notices their last friend half asleep in his chair, watching something on his phone. "Chanhee!"

  
The youngest looks up, eyebrows drawing down at the other's outburst. He doesn't answer, but the attention is good enough for Youngbin. "Okay! Listen up. Taeyang, hat up, I can't see your eyes."

  
Eye contact was Youngbin's top priority in any conversation. If he didn't have it, he wouldn't speak and he wouldn't listen. It was all he asked for. When Taeyang takes off the cap, leaning back with a flushed grin, Youngbin starts.

  
"My family used to take me to this cabin when I was younger," Youngbin pauses, waiting for a reaction; which he doesn't get, "okay. Good! So, I rented it out for this week, and I'm bringing us all there for a getaway. Since Seokwoo's been a bit," he pauses, watching the other tense and lower his gaze, "yeah. I felt like we all just really needed this."

  
After a moment of silence, Chanhee disrupts. "Was that it?"

  
"Uh..." Youngbin giggles, taking his seat again across from the others. He plays with the collar of his shirt nervously. "Yes?"

  
"Wow!" Chanhee mocks with false excitement, picking his phone back up. "How fun." His lips twitch into a tiny grin, exposing his happiness with the situation.

  
Taeyang blinks, smile growing on his face. "Well, I'm excited!"

  
"I'm glad!" Youngbin claps. He looks to Seokwoo, eyes wide with a contained thrill.

  
Seokwoo nods, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Yeah," he agrees, "it sounds like fun."

* * *

Seokwoo can't bring himself to sleep, though he's constantly dozing off as he stares at the world below him through the window. He's exhausted himself past every limit he can bear to imagine, to the point of nearly breaking down in the plane's bathroom several times, yet no matter how long he closes his eyes for he's still awake, still listening to the ambiance of the flight.

  
Youngbin and Chanhee are sitting a few rows away, with the younger tapping away on his phone still while Youngbin works on finishing one of his projects on his laptop. He never really discussed his private life with the group, so Seokwoo's guess for what he was working on currently was as good as anybodies. Taeyang and Seokwoo are thankfully alone, the seat in between them unoccupied by another party. The blonde has his hat down, probably fast asleep since Youngbin had him up packing at around two that morning.

  
It's quiet until Seokwoo's phone chimes, and he garners the attention of the couple sitting an aisle away. He waves at them dismissively, cheeks draining of color when he reads over the message on his display.

**(EX)MANAGER(?)** :  
_Have you read the news?_

He doesn't want to ask, but it _is_ his career on the line. He types out a quick reply and turns the sound off so he won't disturb anyone else, fingers shaking from his nervousness.

**ME (SEOKWOO)** :  
_Why would i want to haha. What's going on?_

He sets the device down, not wanting anything more to do with the conversation after a bit more thought. Whichever rumor it was circulating about him now, he didn't want to waste his time on it. However, he knows he cares though he continually keeps telling himself he doesn't, and flips his screen over to check his messages.

**(EX)MANAGER(?)** :

_I know. But, just for your safety, I'd stay offline. It'd be better for you not to see._

Seokwoo immediately opens up his Twitter, despite the other's distinct warning. This was his job, not his manager's, and he'd be damned if he didn't know what people were saying about him now. His notifications and DMs are blowing up, and he decides to leave those unchecked.

  
It doesn't take long for him to see what everyone's concerned with, considering that his face is on the top result in the 'News for You' section. And, of course, his name fills the Worldwide trends as well. He's most concerned with the top three.

_**MODEL AND ACTOR ROWOON (SEOKWOO) FLEES AFTER DATING SCANDALS WITH FELLOW ACTOR PARK HYUNGSIK** _

  
_**MODEL ROWOON: VIOLENT ACT AGAINST A REPORTER** _

  
_**ACTOR ROWOON IS LESS POPULAR NOW AGAINST COMING STARS** _

He stands up, sunglasses slipping a bit lower before he shoves them up harshly, making sure his mask was positioned while his hand was up. He slips past Taeyang, moving to the bathroom for the fourth time in the past hour to, once again, have a breakdown.

  
The room is occupied when he gets there, hand poised above the knob. He takes a step back when it swings open, a shorter boy with long brown hair jumping back at the sudden sight of the other in front of him.

  
"Oh!" He grins, bowing his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, I almost hit you with the door."

  
A moment of scrutinizing later and the boy's lips part in recognition. Though, he's polite about seeing the actor in front of him. "Are you...?"

  
"No."

  
Seokwoo pushes past him, locking the door behind himself immediately. He leans against the wall, his entire body racking with the anxiety of his career crashing down around him. He can't even remember that night, save for himself and Hyungsik leaving a party a bit too early, coming across a reporter outside. Everything past then was a complete mess to try to remember, leaving him feeling sluggish and confused to even try and recall.

  
His hands come down against the counter, and he feels himself falling to his knees before he realizes he's doing so. His glasses crack against the floor, snapping in half against the tile immediately when they make contact.

  
"I didn't," he whispers, trying to pick himself back up before collapsing again. He pulls his knees to his chest, hiding his face in them, "I didn't..."

  
He wasn't dating Hyungsik, he was sure he didn't get into that fistfight with a reporter, and who cares if he wasn't as popular? He still has a loving fanbase who'd support him until the end.

  
But, this _was_ the end. He _had_ a loving fanbase, and most of them dropped him as soon as the rumors started flying.

  
He stays there until an announcement crackles over the loudspeaker that they'd be landing soon. And, deciding he didn't want to be knocked around the room when they hit a spot of turbulence, so he finally brings himself back to his feet, looking at himself in the mirror.

  
He didn't realize he'd been crying, but his face is soaked and his eyes are red.

  
Leaving the sunglasses on the floor, he goes back to his seat, rubbing his face on his sleeve. Taeyang notices him when he gets back, immediately reaching over to grab his hand when he's seated. "Are you alright?"

  
"What?" He sniffles, nodding. "Of course. I've never been better."

  
"Don't bullshit me," Taeyang hisses, gripping his hand firmly. "You know I'm here for you."

  
Another announcement comes over the intercom, asking for the passengers to turn off their cellphones for a safe landing. Seokwoo does, but a new group of texts show up when his screen flashes to life. He turns his phone on airplane mode before scrolling through them.

**(EX)MANAGER(?)** :  
_I told you to stay off of social media._

**HYUNGSIK** :  
_brooo lmao wtf? liking that twt, baller move but i don't want to be pulled into the scandal too_  
_pls unlike it_

**MINA** :  
_Are you alright?_

He doesn't realize they've landed until Taeyang nudges his side, the older's bag already in his arms. "Hey, we have to go."

  
Everyone is standing up behind him, and Seokwoo nods slowly, following the other off of the plane. They meet Youngbin and Chanhee outside, who immediately notice the other's state. Chanhee frowns, grabbing his sleeve to hold onto as they make their way through the airport to find their luggage. "Don't worry about it."

  
Being the first time Chanhee had shown the older any actual affection, he's floored.

  
Chanhee can tell, because he scoffs immediately. "This is a one time experience."

  
"Oh, of course, I understand."

  
Youngbin brings his phone up to his ear, smiling as he talks to somebody. Seokwoo tries to make out something, but the sound of the airport is too loud around them. Taeyang is stretching beside them, happily moving around since he'd been on the plane for a rough five hours. It's nearly noon.

  
The oldest turns around, waving his phone at the group as they approach the luggage area. "We'll be there around two, I just called an Uber so we should be all set."

  
Seokwoo focuses on finding his other bags rather than the possibility of being alone with his thoughts for another three hours. His thoughts and his phone of course, which he's too afraid to take off of airplane mode. Had he really liked one of the scandals' tweets? It was likely, but would have thrown him headlong into another onslaught of rumors that he didn't want to deal with today.

  
Outside there's fresh air, and he leans against the wall besides Youngbin as they wait for their car. Youngbin continues to assure them he'd be here soon, bouncing on his feet as he recalls his childhood memories he'd be able to relive now with his friends. His new family.

  
Taeyang and Chanhee have their heads pressed together, gaze flickering to the two against the wall as they conspire about something. Taeyang smirks, Chanhee laughs.

  
His anxiety tells him they're making fun of him, and Seokwoo decides he doesn't really want to know what they're talking about anyway.

  
The car pulls up, and they all hurriedly put their things in the trunk, getting in. Chanhee makes it a point for Seokwoo to sit between him and Taeyang while Youngbin takes up the front, immediately jumping into a conversation with the driver.

  
Seokwoo leans back, closing his eyes. It was quieter here, and he planned on getting at least an hour of sleep.

  
  
Or, at most, three, since when he opens his eyes the surrounding city has transformed into a luscious forest, filled with greenery that stuns him. He hadn't seen scenery like this for years, and it takes his breath away. He's thankful for the sleep as well, finally feeling a bit better though his anxiety still swims through him with a semi sated edge.

  
"We're here," Youngbin repeats, shaking the younger's shoulder through the opened door. Taeyang and Chanhee are standing outside, their bags already in hand, and Seokwoo rushes to get out and grab his things as well, fumbling with the seat belt for a moment as he apologizes profusely to the driver.

  
Standing outside with the others, he finally sees the road up to the cabin. It's long and winding, and too thin for a car to travel up.

  
"We'll walk from here." Youngbin informs them, starting off on the path. "Let's get a move on, kids!"

  
Taeyang runs happily behind him, and Chanhee walks behind with Seokwoo, pulling out his phone. "How'd you sleep?"

  
Seokwoo shakes his head, running his hand through his hair. "Alright. Why, did I bother you guys?"

  
"Nah," Chanhee hums, shoving in a pair of earbuds though he doesn't plan on listening to anything, "you were fine."

  
Seokwoo nods, relieved. "Was the drive nice?"

  
"I wouldn't know," Chanhee laughs, "I was sleeping too."

  
Grinning, Seokwoo throws an arm loosely around the younger's shoulders. He protests but the taller keeps his arm latched there, and after a moment the younger stops fighting.

  
The path ahead of them narrows and darkens, so Chanhee steps in front of Seokwoo to keep out of the shrubs lining the walkway. He grabs his phone from his pocket to turn on his music and lets out a cry of anguish, turning to look around. "There's no reception here. At all."

  
"Hm? Oh, yeah, there's no bars around the cabin." Youngbin notes, and Chanhee's jaw drops. "Should I have mentioned that?"

  
"Yes!"

  
Taeyang moves ahead, continuing on until he's out of sight.

  
Seokwoo follows him, leaving the other two behind to bicker as he and the blonde make their way out of the woods.

  
The forest around them opens up into a clearing, the sun hanging high above them, shining down brightly on the large wooden cabin in the center of the field. Taeyang whistles, hiking up his backpack as he moves closer to investigate. Seokwoo notes the power lines connecting to the side of the house and sighs, grateful that they wouldn't be running around by candlelight (which he shouldn't have worried about, but did incredibly).

  
Taeyang approaches the door, trying the knob. It doesn't budge and he pouts, turning towards Youngbin, who exits the woods a moment later with Chanhee's pestering form right on his heels. Noticing Taeyang, he calls out a quick, "key's under the mat!"

  
Taeyang nods, reaching down to peel back the welcome mat to grab the key. His hands brush empty space.

  
"It's not there."

  
"Bullshit, it's not there."

  
Youngbin approaches the door, picking up the entire mat to check. He blinks. "Oh, it's not. Maybe somebody's inside cleaning?"

  
"Wouldn't we have seen their car in the lot?" Chanhee hums, walking up the stairs to join them on the porch. A light flicks on outside, illuminating the area underneath the overhang the group stands under. The door is thrown open, and a tall redhead looks out at them.

  
"Can I help you?"

  
Youngbin steps up challengingly. "Can _we_ help _you_?"

  
He frowns. "No, but you could leave."

  
Youngbin looks at the group, eyes widened with worry. Chanhee lifts his eyebrows in amusement. Seokwoo can practically hear his excitement, ' _Oh boy, a fight!'_. Seokwoo rolls his eyes. Taeyang steps closer to him.

"I'm sorry, but we rented out this cabin for the weekend."

  
The boy's eyes soften, and he looks behind him in confusion. "But so did we," he starts, wringing his hands. He turns to listen to somebody in the house, and he laughs before turning back to look at Youngbin. "I'll call the landlord, see what's going on. You can come in, if you want."

  
They follow him inside into a kitchen, meeting the gaze of four others. Seokwoo feels out of place, and blanches when he sees the brunette from the plane. He notices him as well, but flushes and avoids eye contact.

  
"So, my name's Inseong," the boy who lead them inside smiles, his hair lighting up somewhat pink underneath the lights. "There's Youngkyun," he points at the brunette, "Jaeyoon," his finger moves to a boy with dark hair across the room, who waves at them awkwardly. "And Sanghyuk and Juho are here somewhere, probably unpacking."

  
Inseong pulls his phone out of his pocket, typing on it for a moment before raising it to his ear. Chanhee fumes at the fact that Inseong's company has service in the area and his doesn't.

  
"Hey, Mrs. Jung."

  
He paces as he speaks, explaining the situation before his eyebrows raise in question. "Well, yes, but..." He pauses, listening to her before raking his fingers through his hair. "Okay, but..."

  
Youngbin immediately locks eyes with the blonde who comes downstairs, who's focused on nothing but the game in his hands and the charger swinging from his hoodie pocket. His dark roots show through the lighter tones, and when he looks up he jumps back at the sight of the newcomers.

  
Inseong turns towards them, lips parted in shock.

  
"She told us to share the cabin."

  
"Okay, no offense, I'm sure you're great people, but what the fuck." Youngbin starts.

  
"I mean, we traveled here from Seoul," Inseong murmurs, as if that makes them the rightful vacationers.

  
Chanhee crosses his arms, raring to throw down. "So did we."

  
Youngkyun comes forward, leaning against the wall. "We were all on the same flight," he motions to Seokwoo, who doesn't get a second look from Inseong. "We bumped into each other in the back."

  
"Shit."

  
Taeyang smiles at the brunette, whose eyes widen and drop their gaze to the tacky rug he's standing on.

  
The blonde crosses the room towards them, coming to stop next to Inseong. "Who are they?"

  
Inseong shrugs, and Youngbin realizes they haven't introduced themselves yet. "I'm Youngbin."

  
"Chanhee."

  
"Taeyang."

  
Seokwoo's thrilled that nobody here knows him. "I'm Seokwoo."

  
The newcomer nods, gaze shifting to Youngbin. "I'm Sanghyuk." He sets his game on the table, shoving his charger further into his pocket. "Why are you here?"

  
"We're splitting the cabin." Inseong announces suddenly. Jaeyoon jumps up from where he's seated at the couch.

  
His dark hair swings back when he moves, and he pushes it back. "Are you serious?"

  
"Dead."

  
Somebody else comes downstairs, Juho, if Seokwoo's remembering correctly. His hair is a lighter shade of blue, his bangs hanging down somewhat over his thin glasses. He introduces himself, likely having already heard the conversation, before murmuring something to Sanghyuk, who laughs.

  
Youngbin rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, bringing up the dreaded question, "what should we do with bedrooms?"

  
Inseong bites his lip in thought, before smiling. "We'll just pair up. Since you're probably wary, I promise we're not serial killers," he assures, "we can room together so everybody gets to know everyone a bit better."

  
Youngbin agrees, and the two pair everyone off. He puts himself with Sanghyuk, who seems fine with the arrangement.

  
Chanhee and Youngkyun are put together, Seokwoo and Juho are in another room, and Inseong and Jaeyoon in another. After realizing Taeyang didn't have a room, they put him in with Chanhee and Youngkyun. Taeyang seemed determined to get the quiet brunette to open up to him.

  
Seokwoo goes to unpack, Juho leading him to their room. He doesn't speak much after he re-introduces himself. Though, that changes when they're behind their closed door.

  
Juho frowns, going to continue unpacking his own bag, the contents of it spread evenly over his bed. "I know who you are," he informs Seokwoo, who freezes.

  
"Oh, really?" He jokes, "you're a fan?"

  
"God no." Juho shakes his head. "But I know how your type is."

  
Setting his bag on his bed, Seokwoo looks up sharply. "Excuse me?" Juho looks up, challenging him with his own stern gaze.

  
"Just don't get ahead of yourself, yeah? You're not above anybody else here."

  
"I didn't think I was."

  
"Great. You should definitely keep it that way."

  
Seokwoo grits his teeth, knowing the other just wanted a reaction. He lets him have the last word, pulling back the comforter on his bed to make sure the sheets are clean. He pulls the blanket back up when he decides they are, opening up the shelf next to his bed to start putting his clothes away.

  
At first, he'd thought that this vacation would have been pleasurable with the fact that nobody had known who he was (at first glance), and that he wouldn't have reception. But, with the appearance of a new enemy within the group of nine, he slowly began to realize that things may not really be as great as they had at first seemed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've had this idea for MONTHS and i feel like i've finally properly executed it.  
> hi! i'm so happy you decided to read my fic uwu thank you so much! i hope you liked the first chapter, and as i'm still trying to figure out a proper updating schedule, if you'd like to stick around you can catch the next chapter really soon! ♡  
> honestly i love juwoon so much, it's such a cute ship :(
> 
> Twitter: @blossomfic ( https://twitter.com/blossomfic )


	2. Chapter 2

**monday.**

Seokwoo wakes up early the next morning, sweating from the heat in the room, which seems to only sweep his side; as Juho is fast asleep wearing a puffy white hoodie, wrapped up tightly under his blankets. Seokwoo pulls his own blankets back and peels off his shirt, grimacing when he drops it to the floor. Outside, the sun hasn't yet risen and darkness still floods the room, swallowing up the entire space. It leaves Seokwoo feeling awkward and uncomfortable, as if he was just another object being consumed by the dark.

  
He watches the wall, shadows almost swimming along it; so dark that they dip and twirl within each other. He sighs, settling back down underneath the blankets. From somewhere at the other end of the room, Juho breathes quietly, soft snores cutting through the darkness to remind Seokwoo that he's not alone. And, though he's intimidated and frankly terrified of the boy, he's grateful for his unknowing company.

  
He mulls over Juho's hatred towards himself in the lull of time he finds himself in. Had he done something in the few hours they'd known each other to upset him? No, he's sure of it. Juho had been shooting him looks since he'd first stepped into the door.

  
Though, this situation is far better than the one awaiting him online (which he plans to avoid until he gets home), so he decides he can put up with Juho's attitude. He doubts this decision will last in effect until the end of the week, though, knowing that at one point he'll finally snap. But it was worth a shot. Kill them with kindness, right?

  
There's a soft knocking from the other side of the room, and Seokwoo turns over to watch the other slip out of bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He tries to sink lower under the blankets, pretending to be asleep so Juho won't start in on him so early in the morning.

  
"Fuck," the older murmurs, leaning forward on his knees as he perches on the edge of his bed, hands still clasped over his eyes. Seokwoo can't tell if his mind is playing tricks on him when he thinks he sees the other's shoulders jump.

  
Seokwoo's about to come out from hiding when Juho stands abruptly, leaving the room in a hurry. Seokwoo watches him leave, sitting up after the door slams behind himself.

  
The sun slowly begins to come up outside, illuminating the wilderness around the cabin with a faint glow. Seokwoo yawns, swinging his legs over the bed before standing up. He moves to his phone, which is charging next to the door, and picks it up off the floor. He purses his lips while he checks the time, humming quietly under his breath. **6:23AM**.

  
Juho comes back a moment later, nearly nailing Seokwoo with the door when he throws it open. "Oh, hey, sorry."

  
"Don't worry about it," Seokwoo mumbles, setting his phone back down before moving to choose a change of clothes from the shelves next to his bed. "Did you sleep well?"

  
"Uh," Juho clears his throat, voice coming out rough and seemingly deeper than it already was, "I guess so."

  
Seokwoo nods, picking up a pair of shorts in the darkness. He only realizes it's not a shirt when the article doesn't fit over his head properly. Juho flicks the light on as Seokwoo's struggling to pull it off of his head, failing with the first few attempts.

  
Neither of them say anything when they make eye contact, Seokwoo's flushed complexion flooding with heat from the embarrassment. Juho turns away, dragging his bottom lip between his teeth. He breaks the awkward silence. "I think those are shorts."

  
The brunette winces, squeezing his eyes shut. "Noted."

  
A few moments later, a finally dressed Seokwoo and an eternally pissed off Juho make their way to the kitchen, meeting most of the group there.

  
Youngbin and Sanghyuk are sitting at the table, both investing all of their attention in a game the blonde has in his hands. Youngbin points to something on the screen, leaving his arm over Sanghyuk's for a moment too long before drawing it back slowly. Seokwoo doesn't miss the way the blonde's eyes linger on the other's face as he pulls away.

  
"Gross," Chanhee, the ever vigilant, remarks from where he's seated across from them. "Get a room."

  
"We have a room," Sanghyuk defends instantly, not taking his gaze away from the screen in front of himself. Chanhee scoffs.

  
Inseong, from where he's leaned over the counter, has gone still and has his jaw set sternly as he focuses on something. Seokwoo walks over to him, pressing his hip against the counter. "What's up?"

  
The redhead is squinting at a bag in front of himself, which sits eagerly on the stove - ready to be opened. "I don't think I packed enough food."

  
"Well, nobody expected there to be nine of us," Seokwoo laughs, before realizing the importance of the situation. "Oh, right. This could like, actually be a problem."

  
Sighing, Inseong shakes his head. "I rented a car, it's about half a mile down the road from here in some parking lot. We're just going to have to go to the store. It should be fine."

  
"Can I come?" Chanhee pipes up, suddenly standing directly behind Inseong. The older leaps forward at the sudden voice, gasping as he turns around. "Please?"

  
"Jesus _fuck_ , kid!"

  
"You almost killed the man," Seokwoo remarks. Juho glances at them from where he's seated himself next to Sanghyuk. The two make eye contact and Seokwoo immediately looks away, not wanting to be the subject of the other's harsh glare for another moment.

  
Inseong rakes his fingers through his hair, sighing. "We should go now, right?"

  
"Probably," Seokwoo nods.

"Yes."'

Jaeyoon steps into the room, a low black shirt hanging down to his thighs, covering up part of his red jeans. "What goes on, babes?"

  
"We're going to the store," Chanhee speaks before anyone else can, and Jaeyoon blinks at him.

  
"I assume I'm coming."

  
"Well," Inseong raises one of his shoulders, dropping it in a half shrug, "you don't _have_ to."

  
Jaeyoon takes a menacing step forward, followed by another, until he's pressed directly against the other. Inseong, though he has a good few inches on Jaeyoon, seems small compared to him. He practically declines into himself to try and get away. "I'm coming," Jaeyoon hisses, slowly leaning forward so the two are only inches apart, "with you."

  
Inseong nods, too flustered to speak. Jaeyoon smiles, his dimples making him look somewhat childish. He drops back down from where he'd been standing on his tiptoes, turning around. "I'll go grab my camera."

  
When he leaves, Seokwoo looks to Inseong for more information. "His camera?"

  
"He vlogs," Chanhee sighs, pressing a hand to his temple, "doesn't he?"

  
Inseong is floored. "How did you guess that?"

  
Chanhee whines, dropping his head. "I thought he looked familiar... I must have seen him online somewhere..." He's absolutely devastated by the realization.

  
This leads Seokwoo to wonder if it would be right for him to show up on some vlogger's video while his current situation is asphyxiating his career. He already assumed his manager had terminated his contract, so he had nobody to tell him he couldn't. But, was it too soon? Or, better yet, would it be wrong?

  
He continues to wonder this as the group of four leaves the cabin, saying a quick goodbye to everyone else before beginning their trek through the woods. Inseong and Jaeyoon are ahead of Chanhee and Seokwoo, filming something on a camera that seems just far too fancy for vlogging.

  
"So, what do you think about this whole thing?" Chanhee starts the moment the two are out of earshot, the sleeves of his white sweater dangling over his hands.

  
"What do you mean?" Seokwoo pouts, shoving his own hands into his pockets. He'd grabbed the first outfit he'd seen after Juho had turned the lights on, just aiming to leave the room quickly after the other had seen him with a pair of shorts pulled down over his neck. He distinctly remembers one of his arms stuck inside the shorts, too, searching desperately for a sleeve that just wasn't there.

  
Chanhee shrugs, sighing. "I mean, we just agreed to spending the week with them. Doesn't it seem off? Like the plot of a bad drama or something?" A bittersweet smile crosses his features.

  
Seokwoo laughs, shaking his head. "You spend too much time online."

  
"I'm serious!" Chanhee groans. "Nobody else thinks it's odd how easily a bunch of strangers just said 'fuck it' and roomed together? For a _week_!?"

  
"I think you're paranoid," Seokwoo hums, continuing to giggle at the younger's nervousness. "Just have some fun."

  
Chanhee had always been able to pull Seokwoo out of his moods. Being with him made Seokwoo feel much happier, as if he was just drained completely of all of the negativity his life had brought him the moment the younger would be in the same space as him. He remembers the time he'd had an awful shoot and he'd gone home to (probably) cry about it to Youngbin over the phone, but Chanhee had shown up on his doorstep in the pouring rain to complain about the delivery guy taking too long to get to his house because of the storm. ' _Oh, what, your store lost power!? I ordered my chicken a fucking hour ago! I don't care if your wife just left you for the rich businessman she's been seeing behind your back; I just want my chicken_!'

Needless to say, Seokwoo had perked up in moments.

  
The forest drains away from around the four, and Jaeyoon turns back to the two after he slides his camera back into the black Adidas bag he had strung over his shoulders. When Chanhee had seen it, he'd shivered. ' _He even dresses like a vlogger..._ '

  
"Do either of you have a problem with showing up on camera?" He smiles, slowing down to walk with the other two. Inseong continues on ahead of them, leading them down the side of the currently deserted highway.

  
Maybe it's the high from his good mood urging him to say no, but Seokwoo shakes his head, forgetting about any repercussions this decision may have in the future. "I'm all good with it."

  
Chanhee groans, but after a moment he agrees to it. "But just tell me one thing."

  
"Yeah?" Jaeyoon glances at him.

  
"What was your last video titled?"

  
Jaeyoon laughs to himself, shaking his head. "Is this a question that's optional for me to answer?"

  
"No."

  
" Okay, but you asked. _I f_ , asterisk, _cked my best friend?_ Asterisk, _not clickbait_ , in caps, asterisk."

  
Chanhee disgustedly runs ahead. "Inseong wait!" The redhead turns to look at Chanhee, smiling at his company as the younger makes his way to his side. "I am revolted," he grumbles.

* * *

  
"Should we get these?" Seokwoo points to a package of water bottles, turning to look at the rest of the group. Everyone had grabbed a basket and begun to fill it with whatever they wanted and what they thought the other's would want. Inseong had, very excitedly, told them to, " _get anything you want, I have a sugar daddy back in Seoul and I'm practically rich!_ ".

  
Chanhee looks up from his phone, blinking at him. "Is it a hundred degrees outside right now?"

  
"I think so," Jaeyoon answers for Seokwoo from where he's grabbing a box of seaweed soup, dropping it into his basket. He turns to see Chanhee glaring at him. "Oh. Oh I wasn't who you were..? Got it. Okay."

  
Seokwoo sets his basket on top of the package, lifting it up into his arms. Inseong comes back from around a corner, basket brimming with colorfully wrapped snacks. It almost mirrors Chanhee's basket, wheras Seokwoo has grabed necessities and Jaeyoon has grabbed anything that took no effort to cook and about four pounds of assorted meats for the entire group. At least, Seokwoo is praying it's for the entire group and that this man doesn't plan on consuming all of that in six days by himself.

  
"How are we making out, gang?" Inseong takes a quick look at everybody's baskets, flashing a thumbs up to the three. "All good?"

  
"Tell Seokwoo to put back the six face masks I watched him grab while he thought nobody was looking," Chanhee exposes the brunette, leaving Seokwoo shocked.

  
"Chanhee!" He sticks his bottom lip out in a pout. "You weren't supposed to tell on me!"

  
"I don't give a fuck," Inseong waves them forward. "Let's go check out, I'm sure they're waiting for us back home."

  
Home.

  
Seokwoo smiles, finding it sweet that their roomates for the week were being so open and kind to them. Home. How could they already be so accepting to the new group staying with them? Seokwoo is touched.

  
"You look like you're about to burst into tears," Chanhee remarks flatly as they step in line, beginning to put their things onto the checkout.

  
"I am!" Seokwoo gushes, shoving his palms against his cheeks. Chanhee gags.

  
Inseong pulls out his phone while he waits for the cashier to finish scanning their things, answering a few texts before sighing. "Hey, Yoonie," when the other looks up to him, he smiles apologetically, "I'm going to go run and grab a few things for Juho." He hands the other his credit card, stepping back. "If I'm not back in time," he explains, running off.

  
Jaeyoon looks at the stocked belt, then to Seokwoo. "He literally bought so much."

  
Chanhee jumps into the conversation. "I thought I was the only one who noticed!"

  
Seokwoo kicks his ankle, frowning. "Don't be rude," he whispers.

  
"No, oh my God, it's fine," Jaeyoon interrupts, rubbing his palms on his jeans. His cheeks are red from the heat inside the store, and Seokwoo remembers that they'd have to walk half a mile back to the cabin in what must be ninety five degree weather. "He always buys way too much."

  
Inseong comes back a moment later, setting a few things down at the front of the belt, apologizing to the cashier. She closes her eyes, probably trying to find the strength within herself to not reach over and smack Inseong upside the head for causing her so much stress. But, nevertheless, she scans the items and bags them quickly, before urging them to pay so they'll get the fuck out of her store.

  
Inseong pays quickly, and the group takes their bags and leaves. The automatic doors swing open ahead of them, and they're blasted with a gush of hot air as they step outside. Jaeyoon moans in dismay.

  
"This sucks," Chani states monotonously, before taking the keys from Inseong's pocket to go unlock the car. He opens up the trunk, setting his things down before helping the others with what they're holding.

  
Inseong tries to cheer the two up, clasping his hands together while Seokwoo deposits his bags into the car and shuts the trunk. "Hey, I bought some ice cream, so we'll be able to cool off when we get back home," he attempts, smile wavering when Jaeyoon crosses his arms.

  
"Do you _really_ think that'll work-"

  
"- _God I fucking love you so much_." Chanhee sniffles, eyes wide as he hastily making his way to the side of the car so he can get in. "Let's _go_!"

  
Jaeyoon watches him go, absolute shock evident on his face. "I," he shakes his head, still trying to process the youngest's excitement, "I guess it did."

  
The four drive back without speaking, the only sound breaking through the silence being the radio that's turned to the local station, which cranks out some old song that Seokwoo can barely remember from when he was a teenager. The quiet between the group isn't uncomfortable at all, though Seokwoo feels like it should be, for some odd reason. Chanhee has his headphones in as he gazes out the window, eyes clouded over as he daydreams. Jaeyoon is in the passenger seat with his feet up on the dashboard, recording the road ahead of them so he can put a timelapse into his video, and Inseong is humming along to whatever comes on the station.

  
Though the drive was roughly a half an hour, it only feels like it's been minutes when they pull into the lower parking lot, staring at the path up to the cabin. Inseong had decided to just park in the 'No Parking Zone' that Seokwoo and his group had been dropped off in the day prior by their Uber, risking the ticket. He was not about to walk half a mile with all of the groceries they'd bought.

  
"Let's get it," Chanhee whispers, likely to himself since the saying makes him giggle and he doesn't look to anyone else for validation that they'd heard him speak. Seokwoo opens up the door, stepping outside before heading to the back. Jaeyoon meets him there, throwing open the trunk. They grab the first bags they see, leaving the water bottles and the lighter bags to Inseong and Chanhee.

  
Inseong opts to grab the water and half of the remaining bags, and Chanhee takes the rest and shuts the door. Seokwoo is already sweating, arms aching as he carries the groceries up to the woods. Chanhee, with another sudden burst of energy, starts running up the path, arms hanging at his sides, his fists clenched around the handles of the bags. Jaeyoon tries to run after him but trips on a stump, nearly falling face first into the dirt. He catches himself, gasping. "Oh, shit!"

  
Inseong passes the two. "Be careful!"

  
"Why the fuck is there a stump there!?" He cries, stomping as he continues on the path. Seokwoo is taken aback. Were they not standing in the middle of the fucking woods?

  
When Jaeyoon notices the cabin ahead of them he looks as if he's been lost in the wilderness of Antarctica for several years. He sounds like it, too, when he cries out a shrill "civilization!" and takes off sprinting.

  
Seokwoo is the last to arrive, walking inside through the door that's been propped open with one of the kitchen chairs. Youngkyun and Taeyang are putting the things away in the refrigerator and the pantry, and Chanhee excitedly joins them. Jaeyoon takes a moment to collect himself before pulling out his camera, beginning to record once again.

  
Juho tries to sneak by Jaeyoon to get to the living room without the boy noticing, but Jaeyoon grabs his wrist and yanks him back, grinning at the camera as he forces Juho to have a cameo in his video. Seokwoo sets his bags down next to Taeyang, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.

  
When Jaeyoon finally releases him, Juho stalks off back upstairs to the bedrooms. Seokwoo follows him, and once again, when the two are stuck in the room together, Juho turns on him.

  
He doesn't say anything this time. He just watches.

  
Every time his gaze shifts, he analyzes a new part of Seokwoo, leaving the younger feeling completely exposed and self conscious. He licks his lips nervously. "Is there something you need, Juho?"

  
Juho blows out a long sigh, shaking his head. He cards his fingers through his hair, blue strands being swept from side to side. Seokwoo realizes the bedroom window's open after a cool breeze slips inside and he catches the smell of the other's cologne. He blushes, registers what he's doing, and ducks his head down to hide it.

  
He never answers, and when Seokwoo turns to look at him he realizes he's gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow u made it all the way through my 1am word vomit i'm both touched and grateful for you thank you so much
> 
> sorry this chapter's so lacking, i needed a bit of a filler [nervous] so much happens in only 3k words and uh (sweats) i guess i used this chapter to more or less introduce inseong and jaeyoon, but the actual plot should develop more within the next few chapters
> 
> i'm thinking this should update regularly on thursdays 
> 
> thank you so much for reading! i PROMISE this will get better soon, and i hope you'll look forward to it ♡
> 
> twitter : @blossomfic ( https://twitter.com/blossomfic )  
> curious cat (you can yell at me here (please yell at me here (i need validation))) : https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic


	3. Chapter 3

**it's still monday.**

Juho doesn't want to be on vacation anymore.

  
The brunette across the room from him, Seokwoo, who's bent over the bags on the floor to put the groceries away, is the sole reason that the older has come to this conclusion. But he doesn't know that. No, Seokwoo had no idea how much Juho really despised him.

  
_"Baby, you've been so distant lately."_  
_"I'm sorry, Jjuongie, I've just had a lot of work..."_

  
He clenches his fists at the memory, frowning. Sanghyuk looks up at him from where he's sitting, at the table with Youngbin, hands still poised around his game system protectively. "Hey, Ju, what's up?"

  
Juho shakes his head, blue strands of hair flying out from the hat they're stuck under. "It's nothing."

  
Sanghyuk leaves the game with Youngbin, who sets it on the table and pulls out his phone as Sanghyuk stands to go to Juho. The two head upstairs, Sanghyuk grabbing the younger's hand and leading him to his and Youngbin's bedroom.

  
Juho tries to clear his mind when the two arrive in the room. Sanghyuk kicks the door shut. They sit on the edge of the bed. "Is it him again?"

  
It takes Juho no time to respond. "Of course it's him again!" He spits, standing up abruptly. He begins pacing, ripping off his hat to drop it to the floor. "Every single fucking _time_ I look at Seokwoo I see _him_!"

  
Sanghyuk widens his eyes, lifting up his hands. "Calm down."

  
"How the fuck," Juho snarls, spinning on his heel to confront the blonde, "am I supposed to calm down, when all I see is him leaving?"

  
_He held out his hands, grabbing onto Juho's. "You know me, baby."_  
_Juho grimaced, shaking. "I don't think I do," he whispered, voice cracking along every word. He tried to pull away, but the other held him there firmly._

  
Sitting forward, Sanghyuk tries to reach for his friend's hand. Juho rips it away. "Juho, I know you're hurt, but-"  
"-Hurt? I'm not fucking hurt!" Juho brings his hands up, rubbing aggressively at his eyes. "I'm fucking," he sniffles, "pissed. I'm angry. I hate him."

  
_Juho felt a pair of arms wrap around him tightly. The attention, though he'd craved it for months, suffocated him. "I can't do this anymore."_  
_He spun Juho around to face him, gaze hardening. "What are you talking about?"_  
_"I know what you've been doing-!"_

  
Sanghyuk grabs Juho the moment his knees buckle, pulling him back to hold him against himself. "It's alright," he murmurs, letting the younger bury his face into his shoulder. "It'll be okay."

  
"It won't be," Juho grabs Sanghyuk's shirt, balling it up in his fists. He isn't crying, he wouldn't in front of Sanghyuk. He'd cried to the older too many times before, and he promised he wouldn't again. "It won't be."

  
The blonde clicks his tongue, leaning back so Juho can get more comfortable in his arms. "It will be. It's just going to take some time."

  
"I miss him."

  
They're quiet for a moment, and Juho slowly breaks their contact, sliding off of the bed. Sanghyuk frowns, moving forward to grab his hand, caressing Juho's knuckle with his thumb. "I know," he mutters before letting his hand drop.

  
Juho nods, steeling himself before making his way to the door. He knew Seokwoo was playing with him. That he must have heard about Juho, somehow, through small talk on a set, maybe. But he knew. There was an odd familiarity there when they'd first met.

  
It disgusts him. Was he just gathering information on him to give back to his ex? Juho's hands shake at the theory. It's late in the day, and he decides to sleep for a while to take his mind off of things. Walking to his room, he groans when he notices the brunette sitting on the edge of his bed, phone tucked safely in his hand.

  
"Hey," Seokwoo tries, but Juho blows him off, walking to his own bed. Seokwoo blinks, an empty smile crossing his face. "You know, we should talk about this unspoken thing between us." He stands, moving towards the center of the room to stand closer to Juho.

  
Juho glances up at him, narrowing his eyes. " _What_ unspoken thing?" His tone is harsh and cold, just what he wants the other to say to his ex. That he doesn't care. He's numb. There's nothing here that can hurt him anymore.

  
"Why do you hate me?"

  
"I'm sorry?" Juho reels, taking a step forward. "I don't know what you're talking about.

  
"Oh, well, you've made it very fucking clear-"

* * *

  
Chanhee snorts, holding the rag to Seokwoo's nose as the two sit in the bathroom; Seokwoo, on the toilet lid, and Chanhee between his legs, wiping the blood from his face. "So he just punched you?" The younger chuckles.

  
"Yes!" Seokwoo explodes with his emotions, tapping one of his shoes restlessly against the ground. "I asked him what was up and _WHAM_! right into my nose!"

  
The youngest can't help himself, and continues laughing, though he was concerned for his friend. The story was just too funny for him, because people getting hurt was just in his sense of humor. "Well, obviously you did _something_." Chanhee points out, at this point just smearing the blood further along Seokwoo's face. The rag is soiled, pink and red streaks staining the white cloth.

  
"But what?"

  
The question stumps the both of them, and they sit in the bathroom in silence, continuing to clean Seokwoo off. A knock comes from the door, and a moment later it opens. Youngbin slips into the room. "Hey, gang, what's going on?" He takes in the sight and blanches at the two. "What the fuck."

  
"Juho punched Seok' in the face," Chanhee starts. Youngbin gasps.

  
"What!?" He shuts the door behind himself, a bit too harshly for Chanhee's taste. The younger winces, looking back to the boy sitting over him to check his face.

  
"Oh, you know," Seokwoo sighs, waving Chanhee's hand away so he can hold the rag up himself, "I thought it would happen."

  
"What happened?" Youngbin pouts, crouching down to check his face. He tears the rag away, huffing at the sight. "Oh, Jesus, you're bruising."

  
"Nothing! I just asked him why he hated me and, yeah." Seokwoo explains. "Bam." He looks down. "Is it bad?"

  
"Looks like it hurts..." Youngbin comments.

  
"You look great," Chanhee tries to lighten the mood, pushing aside the remark he desperately wants to make about the black and blue showing through Seokwoo's skin.

  
"Oh, no," Seokwoo laughs, "I _love_ the feeling of a broken nose."

  
"Cute!" Chanhee comments, pulling out his phone to check the time. "It's getting late." And, as an afterthought, he adds, "Youngbin, who's making dinner?"

  
The brunette puts the rag back against Seokwoo's nose, huffing as he scrubs the spot. Seokwoo rolls his eyes back in discomfort. "Inseong wants us to have a cookout." He pulls the cloth away, tutting at the sight. "Blood stopped."

  
Seokwoo stands up, stretching to alleviate the tension in his back from sitting in the same position for an hour. Chanhee slides back against the wall, setting his phone down next to him. "What should I do?" When Youngbin gives him a questioning look, he elaborates. "With the Juho situation."

  
Youngbin opens the door, stepping outside. "Well, I'm assuming you don't want to try talking to him again."

  
The brunette shrugs, following the older out of the room. Chanhee watches them leave, kicking the door shut as soon as the two start down the hall. "I don't know."

* * *

  
"So, I punched him," Juho starts the moment he walks into Sanghyuk's room again. "Really hard."

  
Sanghyuk sits up immediately from where Juho had left him in his room, eyes wide and glimmering with questions. "You _what_!?"

  
Juho puts his hands up, the pitch in his voice rising with nerves. "I didn't mean to, it just happened!"

  
"How do you not mean to punch somebody!?" Sanghyuk cries back, before he finally notices the other's knuckles. Spots of blood dot Juho's knuckles, dipping and disappearing between his fingers. His pale skin contrasts with the deep red. "You drew fucking blood?"

  
Juho quickly checks his hands, turning them quickly to inspect every inch of his skin. His lips part around words he doesn't want to say. There's worry nestled in his gaze. "I..." He bites his lip, shaking his head as he shoves his hands into his pockets, trying to hide them. "I didn't mean to."

  
The blonde hides his face in his hands, sighing deeply into them. "Why."

  
"He," Juho pauses, frowning, "he brought it up."

  
Sanghyuk looks up past his fingertips, blinking at the younger. "He brought what up?"

  
"That I don't like him," Juho gapes, as if it was clear that was what he was inferring. "And I guess I just didn't want to deal with it. I don't know, I didn't mean to hit him! I just," he lets out a quivering breath, "I did. And he screamed. And he left."

  
_"What I've been doing?" He responded flatly, letting go of Juho in disgust._  
_"You're sneaking around behind my back," Juho defended himself, though, were they even dating?_  
_He laughed coldly, leaning further against the sofa. "It's better that way, right?"_  
_Juho took a step back, his heart coiling in on itself. He had to agree, pretend he wasn't hurt. He'd learned this the hard way. "I guess so."_  
_"What are we?" The other asked simply, waiting for an answer he'd forced Juho to accept repeatedly to be said._  
_Juho sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket. "We're friends."_  
_"Anything more?"_  
_Juho shook his head, spinning on his heel to leave. He needed to clear his head, and Sanghyuk had just been hired at the local arcade; he'd go there to distract himself from the mess at home. He didn't know how to answer him._

  
Sanghyuk stays silent, burying himself once again into his palms. Juho answers for him. "I fucked up, right?"

  
"Go apologize."

  
"But-"

  
Sanghyuk looks up harshly, eyes narrowed. "Go fucking apologize!"

* * *

  
Juho doesn't.

  
But, he does see Seokwoo again that night, wrapped up in an oversized black sweatshirt that dangles low past his thighs. He's helping Chanhee carry some firewood out of the surrounding wilderness, a pile stacked precariously high in his arms. Chanhee carries a significantly smaller set, holding it tightly with a proud look on his face. Juho's fond of the kid.

  
Juho turns his attention back to starting the fire, flicking the lighter in his hands panickedly. He'd been tasked with starting the fire for that evening. Seokwoo would be there in less than a minute and Juho didn't want to face him just yet. The lighter sparks to life and Juho gasps, not expecting it to burn his fingers. He drops it, rubbing his hands agitatedly against his jeans. Seokwoo drops his wood next to the pit, and Chanhee lets his fall with the other's.

  
The youngest goes inside, ready to help Inseong and Jaeyoon with whatever they were planning. Seokwoo, however, stoops down across from Juho and begins to assort the wood into piles depending on the size of each log.

  
Silence encapsulates them, holding them hostage.

  
Their only form of communication is broken eye contact. Seokwoo starts the conversation, gaze lingering pityingly on Juho's features, to which the other responds with a quick look to his face. He eyes the bruise darkening across the other's nose and a bit of his cheek, wincing.

  
"Does it hurt?"

  
Seokwoo jumps at the other's voice, slowly looking at him. "Only a bit." He laughs dryly. "You have one hell of an arm."

  
He flushes at the statement and shame paints his face red. "I'm sorry," he murmurs, trying to light the kindling once again. "I really don't know why I did that..."

  
"I was pressing!" Seokwoo laughs, beginning to stack the wood. "I came on a bit strong."

  
_Juho wrung his hands together. "I don't know."_  
_"I thought I made this very fucking clear."_  
_"You don't own me," Juho spat, hat hanging low to cover the nervousness his eyes show._  
_"Oh, but isn't it you who's relying on me completely?"_

  
"You weren't," Juho shakes his head, finally getting a twig to light. It slowly burns down the stick, connecting with the rest of the wood happily. "Trust me, you weren't."

  
The brunette smiles, setting another piece of wood gently into the fire. "I forgive you, though."

  
Juho nods, leaning back on his hands to watch the fire grow. "Thank you."

  
"Don't thank me!" Seokwoo insists. "It's all okay, shit happens."

  
_"Could you stop playing with me for, like, two minutes!?"_

  
Pushing his hair back, Juho sighs quietly. "I don't hate you."

_"Why don't you just leave, Juho?"_

_"Because I-" Juho paused, taking in a sharp breath. "Because I love you!" He stressed, practically shouting at the other._

"Huh?"

  
"I just don't like..." Juho huffs. He lowers his eyes, focusing once again on the fire. He flicks the lighter absently. He didn't trust Seokwoo, but he was sure he didn't hate him. But, if he revealed that he had suspicions, would Seokwoo have more dirt on him? "Nevermind. I don't hate you."

  
Seokwoo nods, finishing his stack before he sits down, warming his hands over the fire. The two let the silence envelop them once again. Juho shuts his eyes, letting the warmth from the fire wash over him. Seokwoo does the same.

  
_Juho left, finding himself running to Sanghyuk once again to try and fix him._

  
Youngbin comes outside, smiling at the two. "Hey."

  
Looking up at him, Juho nods. Seokwoo flashes him a grin. "Hi."

  
"The fire looks great," he comments, unsure of what to say. He seems out of place there. "Uh, Sanghyuk, Youngkyun and Taeyang are making dinner, so... That should be done soon?"

  
Juho nods, standing up. He brushes off his jeans, keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. "I'll see if they need any help," he murmurs, slipping by Youngbin, who casts a halfhearted glare after him when he passes.

  
The older crouches down, tossing another log into the awaiting flames. They inhale it instantly, breathing out plumes of smoke. "Did he apologize?

  
Seokwoo nods, closing his eyes. "Yeah." He drags his bottom lip through his teeth. "He did."

  
"And you accepted?"

  
"Of course."

* * *

  
An hour later, everyone is gathered outside around the smoldering fire. "Well, this is nice," Chanhee comments from where he's buried himself into a camping chair, his legs dangling off of it. His feet barely touch the ground.

  
Youngkyun pokes at the ashes with a stick, turning over a piece of coal absently. "It'll start up again," he hums, and Taeyang sits forward to listen, though Youngkyun's words weren't meant for anybody besides himself, though they were just an afterthought lost to the soft wind.

  
"Here," Youngbin grabs a piece of kindling and begins to push the hot coals into the center of the pit. Inseong bursts outside through the front door, carrying plates in both hands. Sanghyuk follows him.

  
Juho twirls his hair around his finger, a nervous habit he'd garnered from someone his mind tries not to remember. He watches Seokwoo, who's pressing his phone tightly between his hands nervously. There's something written on his face that Juho can't recognize. He looks up. Juho looks away.

  
"So, I posted that video a bit ago." Jaeyoon starts once everyone arrives in the circle. He's positioned himself in a chair near the center of the group, nestled comfortably in between Chanhee and the seat Youngbin had left behind so he could restart the dwindling fire. "Seokwoo, your fans were on it fast."

  
There's discomfort behind Seokwoo's shy smile, the way he drags his phone protectively into his jacket's sleeve. "Really?" He whispers, bouncing his leg feverishly.

  
"I didn't realize you were so big," Jaeyoon continues, droning on for a while before he realizes nobody's still listening to him. Youngbin glances up at them.

  
"Actually, Hyungsik called," he smiles at Seokwoo, getting up after the fire's begun to burn once again. "He said he had good news for you, Seok'."

  
Sanghyuk's eyes dart to Juho's as he helps find Inseong a place to set the plates. Juho sighs; Sanghyuk shrugs. They'd gotten used to communicating silently, their words being as slight as gestures and slightly raised eyebrows.

  
Pitching forward, Seokwoo rests his elbows on his knees and his cheeks in his palms. "Did he tell you what it was about?"

  
Juho feels that something's wrong. He looks around, but the setting is peaceful, the nightlife around them being quiet and serene. The fire crackles, illuminating everyone in the dark with an orange glow. He stands up. "I think I'm going to head inside."

"But we just got here," Youngkyun protests, frowning. His seat is pushed oddly close to Taeyang's. "You tired?"

  
"I-" Juho pales when he sees everyone looking at him. The attention is making him choke on the air he can barely bring himself to breathe in. "Yeah. I'm tired."

  
"Well, goodnight then," Inseong hums. "We'll save you some," he points to the plates. Juho can't even tell what's on them in the darkness, but he's grateful.

  
"Thanks," he whispers, turning around. He practically runs back to the house.

  
From behind him, Seokwoo watches him leave worriedly.

  
"Goodnight!"

Seokwoo stands as soon as Juho disappears into the house, the door slamming behind him. He turns worriedly to the group. "I'm going to head in, too."

"Boo," Chanhee whines, but waves him off nonetheless, "goodnight."

He nods, walking off through the dark to find Juho. He doesn't know why he's so worried about the other, but something deep inside him is pulling him, dragging him away towards the cabin. It forces him to step inside, to shut the door behind himself so the darkness consumes him. It brings him upstairs while his pulse beats fervently in his throat, beating so hard he can't hear the stairs creaking underneath him. 

Why did he care?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I UPDATED FOR ONCE ON TIME, HELLO!  
> [pensive] so uh, this is going to get sad (i said it was angsty in the notes for a reason! nobody dies or anything please dont worry this aint one of THOSE fics)  
> but it'll also be happy!!! juwoon is cute uwu and cute juwoon is GREAT  
> i love you, thank you so much for reading!!! you mean so much to me :( i love you so much, please always keep yourself happy and give urself nothing but the best :( ♡♡♡
> 
> im gonna promote myself again LMAO HERE WE GOOOOOO!
> 
> TWITTER (you can yell at me here or apply for a mutual because hey, ifb): https://twitter.com/blossomfic
> 
> CURIOUS CAT (you can leave me fic questions here or just tell me to shut up): https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic


	4. Chapter 4

**tuesday morning (filler chapter).**

Seokwoo bursts into his bedroom without a second thought, immediately locating Juho, who's peering out at him from underneath a mound of blankets. "What do you want?" He questions, exhaustion lacing his words. Seokwoo purses his lips, walking over to him. When Juho doesn't protest, he takes the initiative to kneel down to get face to face with him.

  
"What's wrong?" He worries, setting his hands on the edge of the bed. Juho shrugs, closing his eyes.

  
When he's waited for a moment, he's about to repeat himself but Juho finally speaks, cutting him off. "I had a bad feeling, and someone contacted me who I don't want to talk to anymore."

  
"Who?"

  
"Ex."

  
The brunette nods, furrowing his eyebrows. "What did she say?"

  
"He," Juho corrects, rolling his shoulders back into the mattress. "He wanted me to call him."

  
"And are you going to?" Seokwoo mumbles, feeling absolutely disgusted when a twinge of jealousy nags at him. Why would he care? He didn't give a fuck.

  
Juho snorts, opening his eyes again. "Fuck, no. That guy's an asshole." There's pain hidden behind his words. Seokwoo frowns.

  
"Move over."

  
Juho scoffs, but when Seokwoo only raises an eyebrow he rolls over to the other side of the bed, cringing when he feels it dip beside him. "What are you doing?"

  
Seokwoo doesn't feel the need to explain himself. He turns onto his side to see the other more clearly, making sure to stay above the blankets while Juho was below them. "My legs hurt from crouching."

  
"You're fucking stupid."

  
There's a smile on Juho's face when he says it. Seokwoo hums in response, grinning back. "Guess so."

  
After a period of silence, Juho turns over to look at Seokwoo. "Do you have any shitty exes?"

  
"Only one," Seokwoo jumps into the conversation wholeheartedly, thrilled that Juho had opened up to him, if only slightly. "He was just using me for my following."

  
"What? That sucks," Juho comments absently, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "People using others for fame is disgusting."

  
"Absolutely." Seokwoo nods, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He suppresses a yawn. "Tell me about this ex of yours."

  
It's silent. Seokwoo clears his throat, "only if you want to, of course."

  
Hesitantly, Juho begins. "He was an actor."

  
"Oh?"

  
"Yeah," he nods. "He was good. B-List. But he never wanted us to go public, which was difficult since the press always followed him and since my friends were constantly filming." He turns to Seokwoo, looking for any flash of recognition across his face. When he doesn't see any, he eases back into the story. "We never officially 'dated' but it was clear we were together. We lived in the same apartment, for fuck's sake. But he never wanted to commit. Yet he acted like he owned me? Toxic as fuck."

  
Watching Juho speak, there's a sudden softness to the other that Seokwoo hadn't seen before. He's mesmerized by the way the other speaks, how his low voice practically lulls Seokwoo to a place of peace and security.

  
"Is that why you don't like me?"

  
Juho parts his lips in thought, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know how I feel about you yet. But, yeah, you remind me of him."

  
"Why?"

  
"Because," Juho shrugs, turning over to avoid seeing Seokwoo, "you just do. Let's go to sleep, I'm tired."

* * *

  
Seokwoo wakes up underneath the blankets with Juho locked in his arms. The other hasn't woken up yet, but has his face buried in the brunette's collar, hands curled tightly around his shirt.

  
He pales, trying to peel the other off of himself. He was well aware of the fact that Juho could and would throw down if he knew Seokwoo fell asleep with him. He sighs in relief when Juho whines and turns over, unlatching himself from the actor. Seokwoo slips out of the bed, finding his phone on the floor along the way.

  
Quietly opening the door, he crouches down to grab his charger before leaving the room, attempting to silently shut the door behind himself. The knob clicks into place, and he walks down the hallway, down the creaking stairs, and out of the front door. He stands idly on the porch, looking out at the slowly brightening forest around the cabin.

  
It takes everything in him to even open up his phone's display, let alone to consider taking the device off of airplane mode. Was it worth it to see everyone's hateful messages and everyone's concern? He _had_ to contact Hyungsik, though...

  
He clicks the orange button, cringing as notifications immediately begin to fill the screen. The cabin had unprotected wifi- his phone had connected automatically.

**HYUNGSIK:**  
_**lmaooooooooooooo yo i have NEWS** _  
_**also have you ever** _  
_**actually** _  
_**nevermind** _

Seokwoo swipes right on the screen and dials Hyungsik's number, hesitating over the call button. Did he really want to?

  
It rings twice before Hyungsik picks up.

  
" _Hey_!"

  
"Hey, Hyungsik."

  
The other sounds ecstatic, barely taking a breath before starting in. He speaks so quickly that his words blend together. " _Jackson wants to do a movie with you and I gave him your number, he's going to call you later on tonight and he wants to meet up with you as soon as possible to talk about it. I contacted your manager, he's down for it and says he wants to renew your contract if you go for it._ "

  
Seokwoo can't respond. Jackson was one of the biggest actors out there right now, and everyone in the field knew about him. He was in every film, every critically acclaimed show from the past five years. Why would he have any interest in Seokwoo?

  
" _Seok_ '?"

  
"I'm here," he murmurs, bringing a hand up to rub his temple. "I'm here."

  
" _What do you think? I'm so jealous..._ "

  
Seokwoo can't believe this. "I don't know, I'll keep my phone on if he calls."

  
" _When_." Hyungsik corrects, laughing. " _Oh! By the way, that video you showed up in blew up. A lot more than the other videos on this guy's channel..._ "

  
Pausing, Seokwoo sits down on the stairs, staring out at the forest. "What are you inferring..?"

  
" _Are you sure they're not using you for clout?_ "

  
"Why would they be doing that?"

  
" _I was curious, so I started checking out their channels. Jaeyoon, Sanghyuk_ ," a pause, " _Juho..._ " He mutters the name with distaste. " _Their channels were going downhill, but after Jaeyoon posted that, their views and follows jumped. Even those who posted nothing of you, they spiked too._ "

  
"Hyungsik," Seokwoo grumbles, "they're good people."

  
Static crackles between them over the phone, and if Seokwoo listens closely he can hear the sound of a car starting. " _They're using you, Seok'. And I don't trust that Juho guy._ "

  
In an odd way, Seokwoo feels defensive. He grits his teeth as Hyungsik finishes. " _I don't know, maybe I'm just being stupid. But make sure you take that call from Jackson! And let me know how it goes, I'm excited for you!_ "

  
"Thanks."

  
" _I'll call you tonight. Love you._ "

  
Seokwoo hangs up, dropping his phone into his lap. Why would Hyungsik say that? It was pure luck that brought the two groups together, it's not like they'd planned everything that had happened. That wasn't possible.

  
He goes back inside, seeing Sanghyuk at the table. He freezes. "Hey."

  
"Morning," the blonde looks up at him, blinking. Monotonously, he asks, "is Juho okay?"

  
Was he implying something? "I think so."

  
"He is. We talked a minute ago," Sanghyuk kicks out one of the chairs from across the table, motioning to it. So, why did he ask Seokwoo if he knew the answer himself? He was an enigma. "Please, take a seat."

  
Seokwoo slowly sits down, pushing his chair in nervously. "Is this an intervention?" He tries to lighten the mood, only to watch Sanghyuk's eyes darken even more. "No? Okay. Haha. Cool. Nice." He feels a bead of sweat drip down his forehead. He wipes it away.

  
"Who were you talking to out there?"

  
"Huh?"

  
"Outside," Sanghyuk juts a thumb towards the door before setting his elbows on the table, locking his hands together in front of his mouth. "Who were you on the phone with?"

  
Seokwoo shrugs. "Hyungsik?"

  
"Ah."

  
Sanghyuk leaves it at that, kicking the chair out again so Seokwoo can stand up easily. "You're dismissed."

  
Seokwoo isn't sure what he should say before leaving. Fuck, should he thank him? "That's it?"

  
"That's it, boss."

"Thank you." Seokwoo nods, standing up quickly.

  
Sanghyuk blinks at him, his eyebrows knitting together curiously. "Why the fuck are you thanking me?"

  
"I really don't know," Seokwoo panics, walking quickly to the stairs so he can go hide in his bed forever. He was still tired, and thought he'd go back to sleep for a few hours. He pushes open his room door, noticing Juho still laying underneath a heap of blankets, clicking away boredly on his phone. "Hey."

  
"Morning."

  
The silence isn't uncomfortable, almost welcoming as Seokwoo climbs into his own bed, pulling the blankets up over himself. He shuts his eyes, sighing. Juho glances up at him from over his phone. "You're going back to sleep?"

  
"Mm-hmm..."

  
"Huh." Juho nods absently, going back to his device before looking up to Seokwoo again after a minute. "You're sure?"

  
Turning to look at him, Seokwoo opens his eyes and raises an eyebrow at him. "Why wouldn't I be sure?"

  
Mumbling, Juho shrugs. "I don't know." Then, adding on a quick "because maybe you'd want to talk to me..."

  
Seokwoo raises an arm tiredly, and not even two seconds later does he hear the other shifting off his blankets quickly, sprinting across the room to climb into bed next to Seokwoo.

  
Was this even real? They'd hated each other not even two days before, how could such a shift even be possible between them? Nonetheless, Seokwoo raises up the blanket so the other can get comfortable, immediately hooking his hands around the taller's shirt as he pulls himself closer.

  
"You're kind of clingy," Seokwoo smiles, closing his eyes once again. The other huffs.

  
"Fuck off," laughing quietly, Juho buries his face into the pillow next to Seokwoo's. "I am not."

  
Shrugging, Seokwoo finds himself slowly falling asleep. Juho pouts, reaching over with one hand to pull up the blankets further over them. He yawns, frowning. He really didn't want to sleep again, but Sanghyuk would be off with Youngbin filming a video and he didn't feel like talking to anyone besides the blonde...

  
He closes his eyes, pulling himself just a bit closer to Seokwoo as he falls asleep beside him yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMMMMMMMMMMM SORRY  
> HI!  
> i've neglected this fic lately and i'm really sorry about that. i've gone through some things recently, but i'm ready to get back on my bullshit and finally start updating again regularly with this fic. i felt bad about not posting and making anyone who's reading this wait until thursday, so i just thought i'd throw in a quick filler chapter (the calm before the storm ... ) as an apology :( im sorry  
> please always be happy and stay healthy! it's cold where i am, and if it's cold for you too make sure you're staying warm!!! i love you ♡♡♡
> 
> gonna plug my socials here , yet again  
> twt (hi) : https://twitter.com/blossomfic  
> cc (yell at me here!) : https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic


	5. Chapter 5

**wednesday.**

Seokwoo wakes up alone.

  
Alone, and with a blaring phone, which an odd number calls him from and _fuck_ , Jackson.

  
"Hello?" He sits up quickly, wincing at the sound of his groggy voice. The one that answers him is clear and perfect, deep voice contradicting Seokwoo's higher pitched, exhaustion laced words.

  
" _Hey, Seokwoo. It's Jackson Wang, hope I didn't call at a bad time_."

  
Seokwoo slips off the blankets quickly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He's eager to talk to the other, eyes wide with excitement. "Hey- hey! No, what? A bad time, pft," he knows he's talking too much but he can't stop, "for you? No time is a bad time."

  
" _I_ -", Jackson pauses, taking in a sharp breath, " _okay! That's fun. Hey, I got your location from Hyungsik, and... I'll be in the area tomorrow for an interview in the morning; do you want to meet up?_ "

  
Too fast. Their relationship had just set sail and already Seokwoo can sense a storm approaching. "Of course!" He couldn't care less. He needed to save his career.

  
Something inside him is yearning to pull away, desperation clawing at him to hang up and leave. Maybe it's the others tone, or a premonition or something, but... Seokwoo doesn't care. He refuses to listen.

  
" _That's great_!" Jackson cheers, and Seokwoo can hear the smile he must be wearing. " _So, I'll text you with some details. But I need to run, my flight's boarding soon_."

  
It's only been two minutes, Seokwoo realizes, pouting. Was this how things were with the other? Quick and ineffective to the greater cause? "Oh, yeah, sure." He stands up, groaning quietly. "Just text me."

  
" _Definitely. I'll talk to you soon, okay? Sorry, this was such bad timing for me to call you_ ," he laughs quietly, " _I just had no free time today and_ really _wanted to get this call in somehow, you know_?"

  
Jackson's voice is quiet, soft, even, and Seokwoo smiles. "No, uh, it's fine. Don't worry about it! You'll text me?"

  
" _Oh! Yeah, haha, absolutely._ "

  
The call ends. Seokwoo drops his phone to the bed and leaves the room, noticing the dark outside. When he's walking down the stairs, he notices he sound of the rain that must be coming down outside.

  
Outside it's dark, the surrounding forest unable to be seen through the thick blanket of light, though the light on the porch desperately tries to cut through it. Youngbin glances up at the younger when he approaches him in the living room, sliding over on the couch when Seokwoo nudges his side. "Hey."

  
"Hi," the taller mumbles tiredly, curling up next to him. "I talked to Jackson."

  
"Who?" Youngbin widens his eyes, pitching forward. "You talked to _who_!?"

  
Blinking, Seokwoo remembers that Youngbin only knew about Hyungsik, and not the other actor. "Oh, yeah, Hyungsik wanted to tell me that Jackson wants me for a movie."

  
Jaeyoon, who had only entered the room during the last part of the conversation, promptly turns and leaves.

  
"What? That's great! Why would he ever have an interest in you?"

  
" _Hey_!" Seokwoo pouts, grabbing the brunette's hand. "That's so mean."

  
"Sorry, sorry." Youngbin smirks, beginning to stand up. "I'm making dinner tonight, do you want to help me?"

  
Shrugging, Seokwoo gets up beside him, huffing. "I suppose." He follows the older into the kitchen, smiling when he sees Juho at the table. "Hey."

  
Juho stands up and leaves the room, not bothering to say hello back to the man he'd fallen asleep in the arms of twice in the past day. Seokwoo watches him go, frowning. "Okay..?"

  
"God, the passion between you two is _unbearable_ ," Youngbin swoons mockingly, walking over to the stove. After a moment of silence between the two of them, he glances back at him. "Aren't you going to go talk to him?"

  
Spinning on his heel after being given the opportunity to leave, Seokwoo nods."Yep. Bye."

  
"Have fun."

  
Seokwoo doesn't register himself running up the stairs, barging into the room, or spinning Juho around, but he does all three in record time. He notices the other's expression first; something akin to shock, slowly being consumed by anger. "What?"

  
"You're mad at me again," Seokwoo notes. Juho rolls his eyes.

  
"I'm not."

  
"You are."

  
The older sighs, looking up with a neutral expression. He holds a staring contest with the ceiling; unblinking and completely stoic in front of Seokwoo. "I'm not," he punctuates the sentence with a stronger tone, huffing, "mad at you."

  
Insisting that he must be upset with him, Seokwoo reaches forward and grabs his hand. Juho jerks it away, gasping at the touch as if it had burned him. Seokwoo, hurt, pulls his own hand away again. "So then why did this change?"

  
"Why did _what_ change?"

  
"You!" Seokwoo sighs, exasperation eating at his words. Underlying desperation swallowing him whole. "You keep acting like I fucking..." His voice cracks. He doesn't know why he needs the other's attention and acceptance, but he craves the other's presence, what he'd shown him during the quiet hours when it was only the two of them. "Like I'm killing you."

  
Juho sighs, shaking his head. "You have _no_ idea."

* * *

  
Seokwoo leaves for his meeting the next day, excitement bubbling up inside of him. It pushes down his nerves, which try to persuade him into staying back, into crawling back into the bed he'd slept in alone, but he ignores them yet again. Juho had watched him leave in the morning, unspoken words between them beckoning them into a conversation they both shied away from.

  
The bell attached to the diner's door chimes when Seokwoo steps inside, and instantly he notices the man sitting alone in a booth, their eyes meeting the moment the door whips shut behind Seokwoo.

  
He walks over cautiously, slowly taking a seat across the table from him. Jackson smiles, extending his hand to shake Seokwoo's. "It's nice to finally see you in person, not just on a screen."

  
Seokwoo looks down, smiling softly. His pulse thrums in his ears, worryingly loud and getting louder. "It's nice to see you, too..." His voice is quieter than he remembers it being.

  
"Don't be shy," Jackson coos, leaning forward. "We're both people here!"

  
Nodding, Seokwoo steals a quick glance back to the other. He's not shy, he's terrified. "Right, right..." He takes a breath, trying to still himself.

  
Things are quiet around them, the diner deserted save for the duo in the booth, a handful of waiters and waitresses, and a man in a black jacket. Seokwoo assumes he's Jackson's bodyguard. A waiter mulls around behind the counter, glancing up every so often nervously to the man sitting alone near the door.

  
"So, you've done shit like this before, right?" Jackson grabs a few sugar packets, slowly stacking them up in front of himself. He pouts when the small castle falls.

  
"Uh, yeah, a few times. What.. What's the plot?"

  
"Forbidden love," Jackson hums, continuing at his attempt to build up the pink sugar packets. He is attractive, Seokwoo's acutely aware of that with how his arms move under his black T-shirt, how long his legs are in his ripped jeans. "Is... That's okay with you, right?"

  
"I mean, yeah."

  
"Oh, thank God." Jackson laughs. "When I heard about the scandal, I got all excited, like, there's another gay actor? I was so relieved, I had to get you in on this." His eyes shine happily. "Imagine our power in this."

  
Seokwoo finds himself falling into ease the longer he stays with the other. He talks so freely, calmly through his excited exterior.

  
"Okay, so, it's forbidden love. Either one of us could be the lead, really." He pauses. "We might both be the lead, actually. It might just switch between us for each scene." He begins rambling, Seokwoo taking more interest in the way his lips move and-

  
-he stops himself immediately, trying not to focus on the other's physical traits and more on what he was saying, trying to stay true to himself and his feelings for someone else, that, he felt he was disrespecting or violating considering the way he'd started to blush just thinking about Jackson.

  
He'd only known him for ten minutes, why was he already falling into a trap?

* * *

"Eat your fucking chicken, asshole."

  
Juho glances up to Sanghyuk, who shoves a plate towards him. "I'm tired of supervising you."

  
Taeyang and Youngkyun watch them boredly from where they stand at the counter, before Taeyang's phone buzzes and their shared attention locks onto the device. Juho sighs, looking back to the table. "I'm not hungry."

  
"Are you worried?"

  
"About what?"

  
The blonde hums, bringing a hand over to latch onto Juho's. "That he's going to come back."

  
Juho laughs coldly, shaking his head. His fingers tremble underneath Sanghyuk's. "Hasn't he already?"

  
"Not until Seokwoo meets him. And that's an if, if anything." Sanghyuk tries to cheer up the other, looking around for any distraction he can find. "He isn't coming back."

  
  
_"Maybe if you just fucking listened to me, for once," the other tried to grab Juho's hand, but Juho ripped it away, only attempting to get away._  
_"For once!?" Juho cried out, taking a step back and towards the door. Sanghyuk worked ten minutes away. If he ran, he'd make it in time before they closed. "I've fucking had it with you."_  
_"So you're just going to walk out," the other bit his tongue, nodding as he laughed. Aggression showed through his actions, but he would never lay a hand on Juho. As fucked as Juho knew their relationship was, he'd been certain the other would never hurt him. He wasn't like that. "Right? Just fucking leave?"_  
_Another step back and the doorknob was in close enough proximity of his hands to leave. "You don't fucking own me." There's no response to the other's question, but they both know the answer without it needing to be said. "This was the last time."_  
_"That's what you said last time," the other answered warmly, something sweet and poisonous dripping from his voice. "And the time before that, too..."_

"It's a when."

  
  
_"He's just such a dick," Sanghyuk murmured, "I'm happy you broke it off."_  
_It had been four months, and Juho was still occupied by the thought of the other. He nodded absently, glancing up at the TV in Sanghyuk's bedroom. The other's arm wrapped carelessly around Juho's shoulders, other hand steadying a bowl of popcorn in his lap as he straightened out his legs. A brunette showed up on the screen, and Sanghyuk turned to see Juho suddenly entranced by the film._  
_"Rowoon," he answered the unasked question, reaching down to grab a handful of popcorn. "Cute, huh? Not my type but, eh, he's alright."_  
_"Hm."_  
_"I know that look," Sanghyuk laughed, letting his head fall onto Juho's shoulder. Juho pulled his phone out. "You following him on Twitter?"_  
_"Mm-hm."_  
_Sanghyuk giggled, returning his attention to the movie._

"Seokwoo'll be fine," Sanghyuk tries to comfort the other, only getting a scoff in response. He bites his lip as if he wasn't hurt by the other's cold exterior, though he was used to it by now. After him, Juho had been different. Closed off, afraid of putting himself out there. It's why he stopped vlogging, stopped producing music. He'd given up.

  
Juho lets his head rest on the table, sighing. "He's a fucking snake, Seokwoo stands no chance against him. I didn't, and I was careful. Seokwoo isn't; he's just going to get hurt." His thoughts travel back to the night prior, and he scrunches his eyes shut, willing himself to forget. No more actors.

  
"You like him, right?"

  
Juho's quick to answer. He feels somebody's stern glare on the back of his neck, and doesn't need to turn to know it's Taeyang. "No."

  
"He does," Youngkyun nods, pushing himself off of the counter to go to Juho, resting his head atop the other's. "You totally do."

  
Taeyang smirks, watching the brunette. "I wouldn't be surprised, what with how you clocked him."

  
"He was getting too close!" Juho defends himself, turning to look at the younger two.

  
"You were pretty close last night, too."

  
He pales. "What?"

  
Taeyang pulls out his phone, pursing his lips as he opens up his messages. He shows a picture that Chanhee had sent, grinning cheekily. There's Juho, pulled in and held fast to Seokwoo's chest, fingers curled around his shirt comfortably. Seokwoo's leg is thrown up lazily over Juho's, anchoring him there against him.

  
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Juho whines, face reddening quickly. "Does privacy not exist anymore?"

  
"Not when you're with us, buddy," Taeyang laughs, putting his phone away.

  
"Wait." Sanghyuk smiles, pitching forward. He steals a piece of chicken off of Juho's plate, popping it into his mouth. "Are you, 'Kyun and Chanhee in a group chat together?"

  
Youngkyun answers this time, humming quietly. "Inseong too."

  
At Sanghyuk's confused expression, he elaborates. "What? He's funny."

  
"Hm."

  
The group begins to go their separate ways after the conversation ends- Youngkyun following at Taeyang's heels as the older leaves to go outside. Juho looks around idly, worrying his fingers over a dent in the wooden table. Sanghyuk watches him as he himself stands up, stretching.

  
"I'm gonna go find Youngbin," he murmurs, and, before he leaves, Juho calls out to him. "Yeah?"

  
"Are..." He pauses. "Are you and Youngbin dating?"

  
Smiling, Sanghyuk shrugs. "I don't know yet." He laughs quietly, ears turning a soft pink from the embarrassment. "We'll see."

  
Juho nods tiredly, turning to look outside. The sky darkens slowly; Seokwoo had been gone for most of the day.

  
Though he knows nothing's wrong, he can't help but worry.


	6. Chapter 6

**thursday.**

Seokwoo walks through the forest towards the cabin the following afternoon, every step sending a wave of embarrassment through him.

  
_The walk of shame_ , he muses, hands stuffed in his pockets. The wind howls through the trees, cold as he imagines _somebody_ might be when he goes back inside.

  
The path in front of Seokwoo is lit from the high sun. It's a hot day, the wind being welcomed happily. He stumbles through the woods, desperately trying not to trip over the snarling roots that twirl and twist through the dirt, seemingly popping up only moments before Seokwoo steps where he believed it was clear.

  
He thinks back to waking up earlier that morning, alongside a still sleeping Jackson whose arm was trapped underneath Seokwoo's shoulders, his lips parted in silent breaths that made his chest rise and fall rhythmically. Seokwoo had turned to watch him, just for a moment, before trying to slip way undetected.

  
_Seokwoo had found his clothes on the floor, scooping them into his arms quickly before his phone fell from his jeans pocket, landing loudly on the cold wood beneath him. He tensed, hearing the sheets shift behind him and a soft yawn filter through the room._

  
_"Morning," the other sighed sleepily, and when Seokwoo turned to look at him he noticed that Jackson still had his eyes shut._

  
_The brunette smiled weakly, reaching down to grab his phone. He felt guilty, as if he were sneaking around behind Juho's back. Since he'd woken up alongside him, things were... Different between them. He notices his phone's_ _display had turned on when it fell. "Morning."_

_**YOUNGBIN:** _   
_**you haven't been home all night i'm just assuming** _   
_**that, knowing you,** _   
_**you WHORE,** _   
_**you're with jackson so! please come home safe in the morning** _   
_**i'll leave the front door unlocked** _

_He shook his head, grinning to himself as he pulled on his clothes. He could tell he was being watched, but he didn't care. He looked back at the bed, laughing at the way Jackson pouted while he tried to wake himself up. "You're leaving so early?"_

  
_"I have to," he sighed, yanking his shirt down over his head. "I have to get back, they're worried I never texted."_ I need to see Juho _._

  
_Jackson sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Do you want me to drive you back, then?"_

  
The door creaks when Seokwoo opens it, and he squints his eyes shut as he steps inside. Sanghyuk and Youngbin are sitting at the table, laughing at something on one of their laptop screens. Youngbin turns quickly to Seokwoo, a relieved smile crossing his face at the other's appearance.

  
"You're safe," he comments, as if a weight's been lifted off of his shoulders. He'd always protected his friends, ever since Taeyang had gotten into a fight in his junior year of highschool. Youngbin hadn't been there, and Taeyang had ended up with a broken arm. Since then, he'd never let himself stray away from one of them, constantly bringing himself to attend Seokwoo's shoots or Chanhee's graduation; which had been a banger, by the way.

  
"Of course I am, dad." Seokwoo teases, lazily throwing an arm over the other's shoulder. He rests his chin on the brunette's head, looking at the screen. It's a Youtube video, Sanghyuk and Youngbin being in one corner as a game flashes through the main center of the video. "Oh, you're a gamer?"

  
Sanghyuk instantly begins to pride himself, nodding. His blonde hair is swept back, looking as if it hadn't been brushed or managed that day, just thrown back to stay out of the way. "And a good one, too." Youngbin grins, looking up to Seokwoo.

  
"His fans love me."

  
"They think we're dating."

  
A silence comes over them, then, flushing, Youngbin reaches over to pause the video. "Sanghyuk, can we talk?"

  
Seokwoo takes that as his opportunity to leave, sighing as he walks upstairs. He pauses in front of his door, hearing someone moving around inside. Cautiously, he pushes open the door, making eye contact with a panicked Juho, whose expression changes dramatically when he sees the other.

  
"Seokwoo!"

  
"Juho..."

  
Seokwoo swallows thickly, averting his gaze. He'd felt guilty, oddly enough, when Jackson had invited him back to his hotel room. Juho approaches him and grabs his hand, eyes dropping with worry.

  
"I need to talk to you about Jackson."

  
Seokwoo's pulse screams in his ears at the contact, and he wraps his own fingers hesitantly around the other's. "What's there to talk about?"

  
He knows. Juho must see it in his eyes when he brings up the other's name; the way his eyes dim with something almost like lust at the slight mention of Jackson's name. He's acutely, painfully aware of every minuscule twitch in the other's demeanor, exposing his true thoughts if only for a moment. "I knew him." Why would Juho be affected by him and Jackson? Seokwoo doesn't want to think of any excuse- he _couldn't_ find feelings for Juho. He would only end up hurt.

  
"Ex?" Seokwoo sits on the edge of his bed, pulling off his shoes. "He's your ex, right?"

  
"Best friend," Juho corrects, sitting next to him. He connects their hands again, insistently, desperate for the other's attention. "I was dating his best friend."

  
They stay silent for a moment, Seokwoo hesitantly hooking his pinky around Juho's. "So..."

  
"I don't want to start anything," Juho begins, closing his eyes as if bringing this up pains him. His hair is a mess, and there's dark circles under his eyes. Seokwoo worries that he didn't sleep the night before, and a pang of fear in his chest comes when he wonders if that was because Juho was waiting for him to come back. "But I think..." He bites his lip, looking to the ceiling. "I think he might be using you to get me and my ex back into contact."

  
Seokwoo sets his jaw, trying to find any way to stop himself from feeling any sort of interest in the other. "You're reaching, now."

  
"No," Juho insists, turning worriedly to the other. "I'm not."

  
"Bullshit," Seokwoo shakes his head, forcing himself to try and start an argument. There was something about falling in love that had begun to scare him, and the fact that being with Jackson brought up the concern ' _what about Juho_ ' terrifies him. He refused to find feelings for the older. "My manager's willing to renew my contract if I go with him. You said you hated actors before, are you just trying to damage my career further?"

  
Juho turns to look at him sternly. Seokwoo can tell he's holding back, that he's really trying not to add fuel to an already dwindling fire. He pulls out his phone, opening Twitter. He opts to not answer Seokwoo's weak accusation. "If you don't believe me, then I'll show you."

  
  
**JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**  
 **ugh playing cupid...**

 **JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**  
 **yugyeom & making me do his dirty work : a thread**  
\------ **JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**  
 **[IN RESPONSE TO @YUGYEOM] maybe if you didn't pull this shit your soul wouldn't be on satan's wishlist**  
 **[IN RESPONSE TO @YUGYEOM] oh i know this mistake isn't talking to me**  
 **[IN RESPONSE TO @YUGYEOM] ya'll hear sumn?**

**JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**   
**gotta run to the store this broke ass motherfucker really didn't buy any fucking crackers for me he KNOWS i love crackers what a fucking dick i can't believe this**

\------ **JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**  
 **[IN RESPONSE TO @YUGYEOM] oh, yeah? fuck you too pal.**

"You were dating Yugyeom!?"

  
"Yes..? Didn't I tell you that?"

  
"You never gave me a name!" Seokwoo snatches the phone from Juho, scrolling through the tweets slowly. "What does this last one have to do with anything, though?"

  
Juho shrugs. "I don't know, him and Yugyeom were together when Jackson called you."

  
"So... They think we're friends or something?"

  
Juho takes the phone back, pulling up another account. "Or something," he answers, scrolling down until he turns the display back to Seokwoo. "Jaeyoon's been talking."

** MR. THANG (@lovebugjae) **   
**OMG walked in on Juho & Mr. KIM ROWOON cuddling what the fuck goes ON**

** MR. THANG (@lovebugjae) **   
**@DAWON @Kimseong petition to stop Taeyang and Kyun from kissing in front of Chanhee. That boy is Five.**   
**\------ MR. THANG (@lovebugjae)**   
**[IN RESPONSE TO @eternihwi] No, fuck YOU, buddy.**

** MR. THANG (@lovebugjae) **   
**Can Juwoon (Juho/Rowoon) just become a thing already so my mentions can stop being flooded by twelve year olds asking me if their faves are dating this is getting ridiculous**

**MR. THANG (@lovebugjae)**  
 **@PRODJUHO** **start vlogging again I need some more Seokwoo content since his future in acting and modelling just swan dove into the shitter**

Seokwoo blinks, pushing the phone back towards Juho. "Well, that's fun."

  
"Jackson's using you, Seok'."

  
"Yes," Seokwoo nods, "I'm _very_ aware of that now."

  
Sighing in frustration, Seokwoo lays back on the bed. "Why can't things ever be _easy_ for me!?"

  
Juho lays back next to him, frowning. "This sucks, I'm sorry. You can still shoot with him, just don't let Yugyeom get involved-"

  
"No?" Seokwoo cuts him off, turning to look at him. "Why would I want to be friends with the people who hurt you?"

  
Drawing his eyebrows down, Juho's lips part with words he can't say. He stares in shock at Seokwoo, disbelief written across his face. "Turning him down will kill your career, Seokwoo."

  
He can't take it. He grabs Juho's hand, looking away. "I don't care. It's wrong, and my contract's terminated with my manager anyway." Seokwoo laughs, watching the ceiling. "I have enough to get by for a while; maybe I'll go into singing when this all dies down." He shrugs. "I don't want to help my career by hurting you. Because we both know if I keep working with Jackson, Yugyeom will just so happen to get involved just so he can get back to you, right?"

  
Silently, Juho squeezes Seokwoo's hand. "You don't have to do this for me."

  
"I do." _Because I like you_. "I'll call Jackson tomorrow morning."

  
"Start vlogging," Juho grins, turning towards the brunette. "I'll help you get started."

Seokwoo glances at the other, smirking. "I have an idea that could _really_ piss off your ex."

  
He's selfish. He's so fucking selfish and _desperate_ , that when Juho widens his eyes excitedly and begs him to tell him what his plan was, his heart lurches. _Let's fake date_. He wants to feel the other's hands in his constantly, hear his laugh, even maybe kiss him. But he couldn't love him. If they were to fake, he would never have to admit to Juho and, frankly, to himself, that there was something beneath his actions.

  
He doesn't know why he can't bring himself to tell Juho how he feels, because what with how Juho's acting, he doesn't doubt that he might feel the same way. But something in Seokwoo is terrified of giving in, and he doesn't want to hurt himself any more than he has been.

  
"Let's fake date."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh word i actually updated on time?  
> living LEGEND over here! here we go! 2019, getting a win!  
> thank you for reading!! i love you :D ♡ take care of yourself for me!!! i hope you're always happy and healthy, i love you so so so so so much!!!
> 
> u knew this was coming (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)  
> twt: https://twitter.com/blossomfic  
> cc: https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic  
> carrd: https://ghosteds.carrd.co/


	7. Chapter 7

Seokwoo has one hour to change his mind on the decision.

  
Juho and him had stayed awake that night, filming a video for the aforementioned's channel, on them dating. Watching it over countless times, Seokwoo was amazed at how easily believable it was that the two of them could possibly be dating.

  
**"We're dating," Juho smiled, leaning forward on his knees to look at the camera. "We have been for a while, about four, five months?" Seokwoo nodded, laughing.**

  
**Juho's hand had fit so easily in Seokwoo's, fingers curling together as if they were molded to. Seokwoo bit his lip, looking to the door for a moment. Juho continued talking, digging their grave further and further unknowingly.**

  
The older sighs from where he's laying in bed, glancing at Seokwoo. "We doing this?"

  
"We're doing this," Seokwoo murmurs in response, trying to tell himself more than answer the other that _this_ was their plan. "We're doing it."

  
Juho nods absently, fingers trailing over his lips as he watches his laptop screen. "Forty minutes, then."

  
"Do you think people will watch it?"

  
"No, I think my hundred thousand subscribers will just ignore the notification for the first video I've posted in five months."

  
Seokwoo blanches. "I'm your comeback video!?"

  
"Didn't... Didn't reading Jaeyoon's Tweets yesterday give you that impression already?"

  
Sighing, Seokwoo lays back. "I guess," he hums, watching the ceiling. "What time is it?"

  
Juho laughs, almost in disbelief, when his phone display clicks on. "About three," he grins, "it feels so much earlier."

  
Blankly, Seokwoo turns to look at him. His heart skips a beat when Juho steals a quick peek at the other, turning away just as fast. Why had he done this? The fake dating was unnecessary, they could easily have _not_ done this, and everything would be fine, but...

  
Seokwoo's fallen for the other, and there was no way he could ever tell Juho.

  
_"I know how your type is."_  
_"Don't get ahead of yourself."_

  
"Twenty minutes," Juho hums, laying down. "Should we stay awake for the shitstorm, or wake up to it?"

  
"Watching things unfold will probably be easier."

  
Seokwoo nods, letting his mind drift for a moment. Then, pausing, he widens his eyes. There's a new problem now.

  
Jackson.

  
Seokwoo sits up in a panic, staring at Juho. "Jackson."

  
Juho mimics the other's motions, computer falling off of his lap. "Did he text you?"

  
"No, we-" Seokwoo shakes his head, eyes wide, "we... You know."

  
"Oh," Juho laughs. "Well, yeah, I could tell when you came home."

  
_Home_.

  
"But you said in the video we've been dating for a while," Seokwoo tries to connect the dots for Juho, who catches on a moment later.

  
"Oh..." His eyes dawn with realization as they widen, watching Seokwoo. "That's not good."

  
Then, he snaps his fingers. "So you cheated on me!"

  
"I didn't mean to!" Seokwoo shouts back defensively, and Juho giggles, picking his laptop back up. "Why are you laughing? This is serious!"

  
Juho swings his legs over the edge of the bed, turning to Seokwoo fully as he sets his computer on his lap, clicking away on it relentlessly. "We're just faking," he explains, and Seokwoo bites his lip. "We'll say you were drunk. We won't bring it up unless Jackson does."

  
"We didn't drink that night."

  
"Yes you did," Juho smirks, forming their plan, "you went to the diner, then got drinks, then went back to his place. That's what happened, right?"

  
Hesitantly, Seokwoo nods. "Yeah, that's what happened." Juho winks at him.

  
"Then you were drunk, right?"

  
"Yeah."

  
"Ten minutes," Juho murmurs, pushing the computer back onto the bed so he can stand up without the device clattering to the floor. "I'm gonna go make something to eat."

  
Seokwoo checks his phone, raising an eyebrow at Juho when he looks back up. "It's so late, though."

  
"Is my hunger a crime?" Juho puts sternly, leaving the room before Seokwoo can oppose. "I thought so."

  
Spending the ten minutes alone until the video drops is agonizing for Seokwoo, who checks his phone every ten seconds to see if the time had changed yet. His anxiety skyrockets; there was no way he could ever go back to his acting again. His manager would see to that, as would his agency. They would crush that career path for him, just as they would with his modelling soon after. He was banking on Juho to pull him through, for him to build him a name in the vlogging scene before he even started.

  
Five minutes.

  
Seokwoo closes his eyes, taking in a short breath before blowing out softly, worry lacing his every movement. He was selfish for this, for dragging Juho into a scenario where Seokwoo could pretend they were dating without the other knowing that Seokwoo's actions are real. Every one of them, real and cruel and desperate for the other and his touch, his affection that for all Seokwoo knew was just for show.

  
He turns over, burying his face into the pillows. This was supposed to be a _relaxing_ camping trip with his friends; why had it turned into such a mess? The door creaks open and Seokwoo turns to see Chanhee come storming into the room, huffing.

  
"Hey, kiddo," Seokwoo mumbles, sitting up, "what's up?"

  
"I got a bad feeling," Chanhee shrugs dismissively, sitting next to the older. Juho comes back in a moment later and Chanhee nods at him, having the gesture returned a moment later.

  
Juho's computer chimes.

  
He pulls his lips tightly together in a line, then, a moment later, they hear Jaeyoon scream through the near silent house. " _What the fuck_!?"

  
"What was that?" Chanhee leans over to check Juho's computer screen, eyebrows drawing together. "You guys are...?"

  
Seokwoo looks to Juho quickly. He mouths a small 'can we tell him?' and Juho shrugs.

  
"Well... Kind of," Seokwoo offers, and Chanhee rolls his eyes.

  
"So everybody here is dating now, huh? What, you and Juho, Youngbin and Sanghyuk... Fuckin' Taeyang and Youngkyun who, might I fucking add, threw me out of our room tonight."

  
"Chill in here," Juho invites him to stay with them, and Chanhee grimaces.

  
"This is _so_ like a fucking drama. Seokwoo, I told you this when we went to the store. This is literally so badly and poorly executed, I-"

  
The door bursts open and Jaeyoon storms inside, slamming it behind him. "When were you going to tell me!? Did you two plan this vacation, did you two _know_ our groups would get stuck together, did-?"

  
"Soon," Juho answers his questions one at a time, squinting his eyes shut, "no, and no. Just purely a coincidence for us two, thank God. Lower your tone, please. It's late."  
"Oh, of course, my apologies _sir_."

  
Seokwoo's phone buzzes and he freezes, fingers sliding over the display worriedly.

**JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang) DMed YOU**  
**SIK-O MODE (@hungysik) DMed YOU**  
**YUH (@YUGYEOM) DMed YOU**

"That was fast," he comments absently, setting his phone down. Juho looks up to him, followed by Jaeyoon. Chanhee's moved over in Seokwoo's bed, crawling under the blankets. He's probably fast asleep, though he'd been up a few moments before. He'd been staying up late to fuck around with Jaeyoon and Inseong filming, so he was probably exhausted. Seokwoo smiles softly, moving back so he can slot his fingers through the younger's hair. "I got like three DMs."

  
"Who?" Juho looks at him with wide eyes, slowly getting up to sit next to Seokwoo on his bed, crossing his legs underneath him. He peeks at Seokwoo's phone, paling. "Oh."

  
"I won't answer him," Seokwoo hums, opening up Twitter, "but Jackson and Hyungsik are... Well! You know." Jackson's conversation gets checked first. Juho smirks.  
"Hoes before bros?"

  
"Oh, of course, why do you think I've been putting you before anything else?" Softly, Seokwoo adds, "you're the reason I didn't sleep with Jackson."

  
Juho tenses, looking up to Seokwoo slowly. Jaeyoon leaves the room, and Seokwoo realizes what he's said a moment too late. "Had to convince Jaeyoon," he covers himself quickly.

  
"Oh!" Relief and tension flood Juho's voice at the same time, and he leans forward to look at the conversation on Seokwoo's phone. "Right, right."

**JACKSON WANG (@jacksonwang)**  
**\- YO .**  
**\- WE LIKE .**  
**\- BROOO YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME IM SO FUCKING**  
**\- IM SORRY?**  
**\- I WAS GOING TO CALL YOU TOO THANK GOD I DIDNT**  
**\- IM SORRY I SHOULD HAVE ASKED**  
**\- WE WERE FUCKED UP**

"Wait, what?" Seokwoo takes a closer look at the screen, scrutinizing over the texts. "I was sure we weren't drinking..."

  
"He's covering for your ass," Juho mutters, closing his eyes. "It's in case I see the conversation. Being drunk is an excuse, he's trying to be your friend."

  
"To keep me close."

  
"To get you and his friends close," Juho finishes the thought.

**SEOKIE (@kswofficial)**  
**\- Haha, yeah, we were really fucked up.**  
**\- God, I'm so...**  
**\- Can we keep that shit on the DL?**  
**\- I would really rather tell him myself than let the media do it for me.**  
**\- He's already worried about the Hyungsik scandal, this could break us.**

Juho cracks an eye open, reading over the texts as Seokwoo sends them. "To get him thinking?"

  
"Absolutely," Seokwoo hums, opening Hyungsik's conversation as he waits for a response.

**SIK-O MODE (@hungysik)**  
**\- oh woah**  
**\- well, our scandal's taken care of then!**  
**\- bro i had no idea, im sorry that i said shit when i called you last**

 **SEOKIE (@kswofficial)**  
**\- What? It's fine, you didn't know.**  
**\- And haha, that's one way to handle things!**  
**\- Sorry I kept this from you for so long, he just wanted us to stay quiet about things for a bit**

 **SIK-O MODE (@hungysik)**  
**\- pft yeah i get you**  
**\- he seems nice!! my baby's finally growing up, dating and shit**  
**\- you got trending in like two minutes god damn**

Juho pulls out his own phone to confirm, whistling quietly. "He's right. Number 2."

  
"Who are we behind?"

  
"That's unimportant."

  
Ignoring the riveting first trending article, Juho clicks on the second and scrolls through it. "People seem supportive," he comments as Seokwoo goes back to checking his DMs. Jackson's opened his messages but never responded.

**SEOKIE (@kswofficial)**  
**\- Huh.**  
**\- That's fun!**  
**\- I'm tired.**

 **SIK-O MODE (@hungysik)**  
**\- go to bed dumbass**

Seokwoo turns off his phone, focusing on Juho's. "They're supportive?"

  
"Yeah, for the most part."

  
"Except for..?"

  
"Some guy with the handle," Juho flashes his screen to Seokwoo, who reads over the Tweets worriedly. Though, he slowly turns to the boy laying next to them, who has the blankets pulled up over his head.

  
"Oh, you're such a dick, Chanhee."

  
"Tough love," he hears murmured back from under the comforter.

**NAME CANNOT BE BLANK (@ch.ch.ch.chiachani)**  
**Maybe if they weren't both dumb...**

  
**\------NAME CANNOT BE BLANK (@ch.ch.ch.chiachani)**  
**[IN RESPONSE TO @Juhosleftnostril] I said what I said, bitch.**

  
**\------NAME CANNOT BE BLANK (@ch.ch.ch.chiachani)**  
**[IN RESPONSE TO @PoemSupremacist] If that's you in your pfp you have no right to speak to me, grimy bitch.**

  
**\------NAME CANNOT BE BLANK (@ch.ch.ch.chiachani)**  
**[IN RESPONSE TO @champagnes] If you're smart enough to choose such a banger for your handle, why don't you have any common sense**

Laying back in his bed, Seokwoo sighs. "Well, at least it's all positive."

  
"Mostly," Juho corrects, laying down beside him. Chanhee peeks out from underneath the blankets and groans.

  
"You're doing that right next to me?"

  
Seokwoo flashes him a quick glance, shooting his arm out to wrap around the younger's shoulders. Juho closes his eyes, sighing. Chanhee frowns but pulls himself closer to Seokwoo, just grateful for the other's company. He worries his fingers along the blankets. _Something feels wrong..._

  
"Goodnight," Seokwoo mumbles, feeling Juho nod against his shoulder, humming out a small answer. Chanhee doesn't respond, too captivated by his own problematic thoughts to worry about wishing the other a goodnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the calm before the storm...  
> thank you as always for reading!! I'm so thankful for you all D: my loves ♡  
> take care of yourself, for me :( i love you so much  
> please take it easy! i'll see you soon with another update ♡


	8. Chapter 8

Seokwoo feels sick when he wakes up the next morning. Chanhee and Juho were gone, leaving him alone, tucked underneath the blankets tightly. The room is sticky with the summer heat, uncomfortable and hot underneath the sheets.

  
He seems to only feel someone's hand on his shoulder after he realizes that today was their last day in the cabin. They were to leave tonight, and he had completely forgotten. 

  
Turning over, Youngbin stares at him with wide eyes. "Are you going to pack your bag?"

  
Groggily, Seokwoo shifts off the blankets, groaning at the feeling of his shirt sticking to him further with his every movement. He peels it off, grimacing. "What time is it?"

  
"Nearly two," the brunette can barely get the last word out before Seokwoo's shooting up next to him, suddenly acutely aware of everything in the room.

  
"Are you serious!?" Seokwoo cries, crouching down in front of his dresser as he riles through his clothes, pulling them out to create a messy pile on the floor. He decides on an outfit for that day, turning around to grab his bag from Youngbin, who had been holding it since he'd woken the other up. "It's so late..."

  
Worried, Youngbin kneels down to help him pack. "We need to go in an hour or so..."

  
Seokwoo nods, before the realization dawns on him that he hadn't told Juho he was leaving tonight hits him. "Do... Do the others know?"

  
Shaking his head, Youngbin stands up after handing him another half-folded shirt. "No, only Sanghyuk."

  
So, Juho definitely knew already. He squints his eyes shut, willing for the other not to be mad. Though, why would he be? To him, they were a game of make believe, and he was unknowing of the fact that Seokwoo had only offered the concept of them fake dating to fuel his own selfish, twisted need. He bites his lip, cracking an eye open only after he can tell Youngbin's left the room, likely to go finish packing his own bag. He continues to slowly put his things away, standing up to grab anything else he sees of his lying around. Phone charger, actual phone... Had he really packed so little?

  
The worries from the beginning of the week seemed to already be so distant to him, he wasn't sure if he was ready to face them again.

  
A soft creak alerts him of someone entering the room, and Juho walks inside, slowly kicking it shut behind him. He looks tired, hair disheveled and shirt hanging off of his shoulder as he drags his feet back to his bed, falling into the mattress dejectedly. Seokwoo raises an eyebrow at him when he turns to watch him. "What's up?"

  
"You didn't tell me you were going so early..." The older whines, pulling himself up onto the bed so he can lay on his side, pouting. "I thought you'd be leaving tomorrow with us."

  
"Sorry, I guess it just slipped my mind," Seokwoo mumbles, suddenly extremely interested with the floorboards. Juho sits up, legs dangling off of the side of his bed. Seokwoo can barely see him kicking them idly in his peripherals. "At least we're both in Seoul, right?"

  
"Oh, yeah," Juho hums, "I forgot."

  
There's something dark opening up between them, something unsaid in the quiet that lingers on the back of Seokwoo's tongue, that he can't seem to push out for the life of him. He wonders if Juho feels the same, if this is fake to him, and then, how fucked up this was.

  
The darkness thickens between them when Juho turns away himself, giving up on grabbing the other's attention again as Seokwoo seems to be immersed with everything except him. They drift apart, unsure of what to do or say or how to act when there's nobody they need to pretend for, and an awkward tension fills the growing space between them.

  
"Are we faking with the others?"

  
Shrugging, Juho mumbles out his answer. "Everyone except Chanhee."

  
Setting his bag down, Seokwoo sits on the edge of his bed, finally looking back to Juho. "We have about an hour," he smiles, leaning back on his hands. "Anything you want to do?"

  
Juho sighs, shaking his head. His fingers drum restlessly along his now still legs, and it's his turn to watch the ground. "Nothing."

  
"Disappointing," Seokwoo sighs. Juho pouts. "Let's go hang out with the others, we barely did this week."

  
Unprompted and completely unexpected, Juho grumbles out a quiet, muttered answer. "Well, I did, while you were off fucking Jackson..."

  
There's an edge to the other's voice with the last two words he mutters. Seokwoo pauses, scoffing. "Sorry, come again?"

  
"Nothing," shaking his head, Juho gets up, dusting off his jeans though they weren't dirty in the slightest, "let's go see the others."

  
Grabbing his wrist as he tries to walk past him, Seokwoo holds the other still. "No, we're going to talk first."

  
Ripping his hand away, Juho glowers at him, and Seokwoo feels everything he'd felt during their first days together emerge again, ugly emotions rearing an uglier head as they grab for each of the two in the room. "No, we're not."

  
"Fine, then we're just going to go back to fighting?"

  
Angrily, Juho sits down next to him, hands pressed tightly together in his lap. Seokwoo lays back, groaning.

  
"Seokwoo." Juho starts, voice low and cold, distant, even. Seokwoo recognizes what he's doing instantly. He'd done it when he had to keep himself from feeling anything when his manager had belittled him, made him feel absolutely worthless before going into shoots. It was a dark way of coping that Seokwoo hated, and he never wanted to see Juho become so cold and emotionless as he had done far too many times before. He feels sick, turning to watch the other with worried eyes. "It's fine, I'm sorry, can we go?"

  
"No, because what I did bothered you, right?" Letting his voice take on a gentler tone, Seokwoo sits back up and reaches for the other's hands, sighing in relief when Juho allows him to hold onto them. "Don't try and hide from me, I know all of the tricks."

  
"Yeah," Juho shrugs, "I guess it does bother me a bit. I don't know." He shakes his head. "It shouldn't."

  
Seokwoo wants to confess everything then and there, but still feels he's tongue tied. He'd already fucked himself over, allowing himself to fall for the person whose first words to him were that he practically hated him and everything he stood for.

  
But, he finds he doesn't have to when Juho lets himself fall to the other's side, leaning against him sadly. "Seokwoo, why are we doing this?"

  
"To get back at Yugyeom," he lies, and Juho smiles.

  
"We both know that's not the main reason," Juho looks up to him, gaze soft and wavering with what Seokwoo can't distinguish as sadness or fondness. He's assuming it's the former.

  
Seokwoo pulls his lips into a tight line, trying not to focus on the other. "Why do you think we're doing this, then?"

  
Juho's answer comes as a soft breath against Seokwoo's cheek as he leans forward, as a hesitant kiss placed haphazardly on his bottom lip. Seokwoo can't bring himself to move until Juho's pulling away, to which the younger responds with an eager, desperate motion forward to chase his lips. Juho brings a hand up to Seokwoo's face, stopping him before they can continue. "I don't want to be hurt again," he worries, and Seokwoo's eyes harden with determination.

  
"Then you won't be."

  
Pulling his hand away, Juho hesitantly meets him halfway, hands curling tightly around Seokwoo's as their lips meet again. Seokwoo pulls one of his away to bring up to the other's hair, gently slotting his fingers through the fading blue strands as he cocks his head to the side, deepening the movements between them. Juho drifts forward, a hand falling against Seokwoo's waist to steady himself.

  
They pull away from each other carefully, eyes opening slowly as if when they do the scene will slip away from them forever, never to be found again. Though, when Seokwoo still sees everything in front of him just as it had been before, he lets out a soft breath of relief, closing his eyes again. Juho leans forward, falling into his chest. Seokwoo lays back onto the bed, anchoring the other to him with a hand on his waist.

  
"You're a horrible kisser," Juho laughs against his shirt, feeling the other gasp.

  
"I am not!"

  
"You really are..."

* * *

Seokwoo watches the world beneath him dismissively, feeling Chanhee's head bounce on his shoulder as he sleepily adjusts himself against the minor turbulence of the airplane. They'd be landing soon, back in Seoul. Seokwoo had no intention to approach his management, and barely found himself wanting to strike up a reunion with Hyungsik anytime soon.

  
When Seokwoo's phone chimes, he glances at it dismissively, smiling softly at the text on his display.

**JUHO❥:**  
_lmao okay so here's my address (LOCATION ATTACHED)_  
 _so maybe come over sometime when i get back?_  
 _PICTURE ATTACHED_  
 _ur bed was always comfier than mine :// it's mine now though. lmao sucks for u_

He types out a quick response, turning to see Chanhee watching him through sleepy eyes.

  
"Hey," Seokwoo mumbles, embarrassment creeping up on his face, showing through his red cheeks and trembling, smiling lips. "What's up?"

  
Rolling over to rest against the older's arm, Chanhee lets out a bored sigh. "So, is it still fake?"

  
Paling, Seokwoo bites his lip. He shrugs, though, when he realizes Chanhee only felt the small shift of his shoulder under his head, he lets out a soft, calm breath. "I don't know."

  
"How do you not know?" Chanhee sneers, unsure of what the other means. He has his phone open in his lap, and Seokwoo notices a groupchat open. Youngkyun and Inseong are bickering back and forth, and Seokwoo misses the company of the other group already. "Isn't it obvious to tell if you have feelings for someone?"

  
Grinning, Seokwoo maneuvers his arm until he's wrapped it firmly around Chanhee's shoulders, pulling him closer to himself. "Not so much, kid."

  
"I'm literally twenty."

  
"Not so much, kid," Seokwoo repeats, a stern look crossing his face. Chanhee pulls his lips up into a facetious smile. "I don't know, we, uh..." Seokwoo pouts, clicking his phone display off. He forgets to hit send. "We kissed right before we left. We weren't recording or anything," his thumb traces the other's arm absently, nervously, "and I don't know, we're meeting up when he gets back home. There's something there, but..."

  
"But...?"

  
"I'm scared we'll back down."

  
Chanhee reaches over and strokes Seokwoo's hair gently, garnering the other's undivided attention. "Seokwoo..." He smiles faintly, gently and fondly caressing the other's hair.

  
"Hmm?"

  
Angrily, the younger's fingers twist around a handful of his hair, pulling it aggressively. "You're an idiot!"

  
Seokwoo reclines, swatting the younger away with a pained gasp. "You dick!" He notices a couple nearby staring at him in shock, and Chanhee answers their pretentious gazes before Seokwoo can take control of the situation.

  
"Is there something you need?"

  
They turn away quickly, muttering in hushed tones to each other while Seokwoo rubs his head, frowning at Chanhee. "That hurt..."

  
"I swear to God, you make me so mad..." Before Seokwoo can ask him to elaborate, Chanhee starts off on a tangent, crossing his arms. "You have something so _good_ right in front of you. Can you stop acting like a child and just enjoy something for once? You're so dramatic about _everything_!" Chanhee turns to glare at Seokwoo, but at his shocked expression his own hardened features soften. "Just let yourself enjoy it. You like him, he likes you; it's obvious. Your fake relationship will be real. Isn't that what you wanted?"

  
Seokwoo can't bring himself to answer, only to nod in understanding at the other's words. Chanhee was right. Completely and utterly right.

  
"Yeah," Chanhee hums, leaning back over onto the other's arm as he pulls out his phone, "that's what I thought..."

* * *

  
Seokwoo watches himself in the mirror, toothbrush hanging from between his lips as he sleepily cards a hand through his hair. It was two in the morning, and he'd gotten home earlier that evening. He hadn't been able to sleep, suddenly acutely aware of the loneliness in his apartment. There was no Sanghyuk, screaming laughs echoing through the halls, or Youngbin to shush him while he himself was probably curled into his side, laughing right alongside him. No Jaeyoon, whose voice carried as he showed his camera yet another makeup tutorial, or Chanhee to complain as the older roped him into appearing on one of his videos. No Youngkyun or Taeyang, who raided the fridge and pantry at odd hours. Or even Inseong, who definitely appreciated the quiet and wouldn't disrupt it during the evening, but whose presence was always felt.

  
Or, Juho. Seokwoo definitely notices the emptiness in the space next to him. He hates the idea of his bedroom, with one bed tucked away in the corner, with four pillows and too many blankets for him to keep track of. He would give anything to go back to the cabin.

  
He finishes brushing his teeth, sighing as he rinses off the brush and sets it back in the holder on his counter. His phone plays music quietly from somewhere off in the apartment, probably in the kitchen, and Seokwoo goes off to find it.

  
The device is laying atop the table, and Seokwoo's fingers curl around it protectively, pulling it into his grip. He checks it, turns it off at the sight of no new texts, then turns the display off only to check once again. He does this four more times before giving up, heading off to his bedroom dejectedly.

  
He tosses his phone down onto his bed, collapsing beside it. The lights were already off, so he just pulls aside his comforter and tries to push the empty feeling to the side as he closes his eyes, wanting the music to continue playing so he didn't feel as lonely.

  
It chimes and he cracks an eye open, frowning.

**JACKSON:**  
_Hey. I know this is probably weird, but..._

Seokwoo almost doesn't want to open the message to read the rest, but hesitantly swipes on the notification and watches as the text reveals itself fully, squinting against the light from his display.

**JACKSON:**  
_Hey. I know this is probably weird, but there's this party on Tuesday night and I was wondering if you wanted to go. Not as a couple, obviously, you can bring anyone you want, but I just really don't want to be stranded there without anyone I really know, haha. Hyungsik's going, if that changes anything. Let me know! I'll send you the details if you say yes :D!_

Seokwoo hates the idea of it already. He was trying to escape the actor lifestyle, why would he want to go? He's about to send a response when another text catches him off guard, and, seeing the name of the contact, he clicks on it instantly. He knew where his priorities stood.

**JUHO❥:**   
_did you also just get a clapped ass invite for jackson's party_

**ME:**  
 _YES._  
  
**JUHO❥:**  
 _you gonna go?_

**ME:**   
_That definitely depends._

**JUHO❥:**   
_on?_

**ME:**   
_If you're going :D._

**JUHO❥:**   
_._   
_i mean_   
_yeah why not_   
_you'll be there_   
_and i mean. free drinks_   
_let's get it_

**ME:**   
_Our first public event >:o._

**JUHO❥:**   
_oh shit yeah you're right_   
_let's give 'em hell!_


	9. Chapter 9

Seokwoo had slept through the entirety of Sunday. He'd woken up once or twice, only to turn over, check his phone, and fall back into the clutches of sleep not even mere minutes later.

  
Now, wandering through the darkened streets of Seoul, Seokwoo is thrown back into the chaos from his life previous to the vacation he'd just returned from.

  
People look at him as they pass, glaring or wide eyed with astonishment. He feels overexposed, under the criticizing eyes of the world. Juho's voice rings through his earbuds, causing Seokwoo to give a soft sigh of comfort. He wasn't _completely_ alone. Not anymore.

  
" _You getting here soon_?"

  
"Yeah," Seokwoo mumbles, passing under an overhang that dribbles brown, greasy looking water over the edge. The neon lights on the sides of storefronts illuminate it, giving the whole street a sort of odd feeling. The sky is dark, promising more rain from what had come yesterday. "Aren't you tired?"

  
Juho laughs, the line between them crackling. " _Tired of missing you_."

  
"Gross."

  
" _Yeah_."

  
Seokwoo smiles, finding himself immersed by a display inside a store's front window. "Hey, do you want to go out tonight?"

  
Something shifts on Juho's end, and the other hums quietly. " _Sure, I needed to pick up something for the party anyway_..."

  
Clipping on the end of the other's words, Seokwoo's phone alerts him of his distance from the other's apartment. Five minutes more, he could do this.

  
There's a flash of light from behind him, and he nearly turns around. The flashes continue, growing closer to him until he starts running.

  
A shout sounds out around him and his hood flies backwards. He adjusts his slipping face mask, gliding over the pavement as he nearly slips in a puddle. "Fuck!"

  
" _Whoa, wait, wait, a_ _re you running right now_!?"

  
"Reporters..."

  
Out of breath, Seokwoo ducks into the nearest alley to him. The crowds had gladly accepted him, and happily he'd lost the trail of cameras behind him. "Oh, God..."

  
" _I'll come to you_ ," Juho states, another bout of rustling coming close to his microphone, " _share your location with me_."

  
Without hesitating Seokwoo pulls his phone out of his pocket, crouching down against the wall behind him. He opens his conversation with Juho and shares his location, closing his eyes as he drops the device back into his pocket.

  
The call ends and Seokwoo pouts, pulling out his earbuds to hang them around his neck. He stands, turning the corner before walking into the store he'd been hiding beside.

  
Inside, it smells like sweat and grease. Seokwoo recoils, bringing a hand up to cover his nose as he looks around. It's dark, candles scattered around being the only source of light in the dank room.

  
"Excuse me," a woman's voice says from somewhere in the cloak of darkness, and Seokwoo screams. "Sir, this is a book club meeting!"

  
He spins on his heel and walks out of the shop, slamming into somebody in the doorway.

  
"You go to book club?"

  
Juho grins, hand interlacing with Seokwoo's the moment they brush against each other. "Hey," he hums, resting his head against the younger's shoulder.

  
They leave the occult behind them as they begin walking down the street. The attention on them is doubled, maybe even tripled, and Seokwoo definitely sees cameras and phones pointed in their direction. He finds himself waving at two girls who have their phones out and jaws slack, still wearing their uniforms from whatever school they'd attended that afternoon. One shrieks, the other waves back.

  
Hand in hand, the two make their way down the streets. Juho pulls on the neck of his hoodie, eyes wide as he looks around at the slowly increasing crowd around them. "So much attention..."

  
"You're not used to it?"

  
Shaking his head to give the other his answer, Juho slips closer to Seokwoo, nearly hiding behind him as his grip tightens on his hand. Seokwoo grins, squeezing his palm comfortingly.

* * *

  
"How does he not get his hand bitten off?"

  
Seokwoo, laying across Juho's lap, scrutinizing the show the two were watching on the older's television. He has a pillow wrapped tightly in his arms, trying to warm them against it from the other's cold bedroom; which holds three opened windows and a blasting A/C. "He just... Sticks it right into the water."

  
"He's Jeremy fucking Wade, Seokwoo."

  
"But is he immortal?"

  
Juho looks down at Seokwoo with incredulous eyes. "Of course?" His voice pitches up at the end of his statement, further pushing the fact that Juho truly thought the man on the show was a God. "How could he not be?"

  
Shaking his head, Seokwoo smiles. "Don't know; sorry for doubting him."

  
"Absolutely you are." Juho mumbles, reaching over to grab a blanket that hangs over the back of the couch. He lays down next to the other, pulling him against his chest as he tucks them in haphazardly with the blanket. After they're comfortable, Juho adds on a quick, "he's coming for you."

  
The rain had begun to come down long ago outside, the sound of the drops pattering against the pavement soothing to Seokwoo's ears. He'd always loved the rain, especially in the city. And, it seems like Juho does, as well. Every so often Seokwoo turns to see him gazing wistfully outside, watching the rain come down in torrents with fascination prominent in his gaze.

  
They had been to several stores that night before the storm had fully finalized itself above them, and had gotten back to Juho's home moments before the sky had broken open and released its finished masterpiece. In each store they'd bought something, whether it be their outfits for the party tomorrow or the entire first season of Pokemon on DVD. Yes, they had bought both of those things. And they regretted neither purchase.

  
Juho's arms encircle Seokwoo's waist, dragging him closer. Seokwoo flushes, burying his face into the blanket he clutches tightly in his fingers. Juho's breath, warm on the back of Seokwoo's neck, hitches when the lights in the room turn off suddenly, the television blinking off alongside them.

  
The two sit up, looking outside to see that the only lights that were still on anywhere near them came from storefronts with backup generators. Juho huffs. "Power outage."

  
Sitting in silence together, the two watch the world outside from inside the darkened room.

  
Thunder crashes from far in the distance, and the sky flashes with lightning above the tall, greyscale buildings that surround Juho's apartment.

  
Between the moments of prolonged silence when the thunder isn't rumbling through the atmosphere, Juho pulls Seokwoo back against himself, holding him there fast before he turns around.

  
"What are you getting at?"

  
"Hm?" Juho looks at him innocently, but the exchange he attempts to give with his features is shrouded and concealed by the darkness around him. "Nothing..." His voice trails off, and Seokwoo laughs, resting his head against the other's shoulder.

  
Seokwoo looks up to the older, kissing his jawline softly. His own yawn interrupts him, though, and he opts to settle back down against the other's shoulder. Juho wraps his arms around his back, sighing blissfully as he lets them fall back against the pillows on his bed.

  
"Are you tired?"

  
"Mm-hmm," Seokwoo nods against Juho, hair tickling his cheek. Juho pulls up the blankets around them, allowing Seokwoo to settle under them before he does himself.

  
Taking in a soft breath, Seokwoo realizes he feels protected with the other wrapped around him. His loneliness had been buried underneath his comfort and ease, leaving him in a dazed euphoria the longer the other's soft, slow breathing lulled him closer and closer to sleep.

  
Before Seokwoo falls asleep, he feels a tired kiss placed messily on his forehead and hears a soft, murmured voice whisper something incomprehensible to him under the cloak of exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO  
> once again, i missed an update i'm SORRY. i'm not even going to try and excuse it, i just keep missing updates and it sucks i'm SORRY and also this chapter is super super short and super underwhelming but... it's a calm before the storm, the next chapter gets a little. A Little CRAZY! and it's going to be really long, so i felt like if one of these chapters had to suffer from my month long writer's block it had to be this one   
> and speaking OF! there's only one chapter left D: i love this fic, i don't want to stop writing it TT_TT i might have to write up a sequel when i finish easy love and saltwater constellations... TT___TT
> 
> the next chapter will NOT disappoint! i promise. i won't let myself write under 10k words for it, it's going to be. GOOD. AND LONG.
> 
> i love you so much, please always be happy for me!! if you ever need somebody to talk to, my dms are always open and i'll always be here for u <33333 ilysssssssm
> 
> cc: https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic  
> twt: https://twitter.com/blossomfic


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw; violence, minor gore

Seokwoo’s first thought when he wakes up is to pull himself closer to Juho, to hide himself in the other to protect himself from the cold in the room. Though, reaching out for the other, his fingers only brush up against the blankets, and Seokwoo cracks an eye open unhappily. Juho is gone, the bed deserted beside Seokwoo.

He doesn’t worry about the other’s whereabouts, hearing the shower blasting from across the apartment. He closes his eyes again, taking a soft breath before rolling back over to face the wall. His hand falls to the side of the mattress, and he feels along the edge of it until he feels the sharp curve of his phone. Pulling it out tiredly, he cracks an eye open and scrolls through his notifications.

There’s nothing of importance for him to check on further, with the exception of Youngbin sending him the occasional picture or text, which Seokwoo answers without much enthusiasm.

**YOUNGBIN:**

_sanghyuk just had me convinced that eggs weren’t real what the fuck is happening_

**ME:**

_That’s rough._

He lets his phone fall to the floor, uninterested in anything that it could show him. He adjusts the blankets, deciding that if Juho wasn’t around he should just go back to sleep until the older came back to the room.

Which, Seokwoo assumes won’t take very long at this point as the shower’s turned off, the soft dripping of the faucet being the only noise that proved that it had been on in the first place somewhat recently. There’s quiet music playing from the bathroom, and Seokwoo has to wonder if it’s one of Juho’s own songs. He was a producer who didn’t share his work. It was known that he had a plethora of songs saved on his computer, and that any he used in his videos were his, but it was rare anybody else got their hands on them. He liked his privacy, especially when that privacy was concealing his work from the world.

The door swings open slowly, the knob knocking and bouncing against the wall when it’s pushed fully open. Seokwoo sits up, smiling groggily at Juho, who walks inside with a towel wrapped tightly around himself, holding it with one hand while the other clicks around on his phone.

Raising his gaze up over the edge of the device in his hands, Juho gasps. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“Oh, no, you’re alright,” Seokwoo reassures, sleepy eyes drifting lazily over the other’s features. His hair is slicked back from the shower, strands falling down over his neck messily.

Juho nods, walking over to his dresser. He throws open one of the drawers, rifling around until his hand comes away with a black shirt. A moment later, a matching pair of jeans are thrown over his shoulder, and he closes the drawer. “Did you sleep well?”

Humming, Seokwoo yawns, rubbing his face in a futile attempt to wake himself up. “I did, better than I have...You?”

“Of course.” As he turns back towards the door, Juho shifts the clothes he’s holding idly. “Oh, and I’m taking you out, so you should get ready.”

Juho leaves the room, and Seokwoo hears the bathroom door shut quietly from further away in the apartment soon after. Exhausted, yet excited to start the day, Seokwoo slides out of Juho’s bed and stands up, turning to pull the blankets back up on the bed. It’s made up haphazardly, and Seokwoo nods, proud of the (shitty) work he’d done.

He realizes then that he doesn’t have anything to wear for that day, and tactfully makes his way over to Juho’s dresser, hesitantly opening up one of the drawers. Was he technically stealing? Yes. Did he care?

He grabs a white shirt from the stack of nicely folded clothes, whistling as he holds it up to unfurl in his grip.

No, he didn’t care, not in the slightest. He pulls off the shirt he has on, replacing it with Juho’s, then closes the drawer and moves to the next to find a pair of pants.

After a moment of searching, he feels someone leaning against his back, arms encircling his waist idly. “Find anything you like?”

“Maybe,” Seokwoo takes a quick glance over his shoulder, noting the way the older’s cheek rests against his shoulder tiredly, “maybe not.”

“Pants are a drawer down,” Juho informs him, and Seokwoo crouches down to continue his search. The older breaks away from him, sitting on the edge of his bed as he watches Seokwoo.

Seokwoo flashes the article he pulls out at Juho, who shrugs halfheartedly when he’s asked if it’s alright if the articles are borrowed. “I don’t mind, as long as they fit you.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“I’m calling you a fucking beanstalk, Seokwoo.”

Seokwoo walks across the room, grabbing his phone from the floor where he’d left it. Juho lays back, watching the ceiling idly. “Tonight,” he murmurs, turning to watch the brunette with half-lidded eyes, “do you think Yugyeom will be there?”

Without hesitation, Seokwoo looks up to him. His phone dangles in his grip, dangerously close to falling back to the floor. “If he is, I’m not letting him get anywhere close to you.”

Juho nods, worrying his fingers against his thighs. His gaze darts around the room, unable to stay fixated to one place. His breath hitches over an unsaid word, but he holds it back, almost seeming embarrassed to say what was on his mind. Seokwoo raises an eyebrow curiously, obviously intrigued by the other’s sudden silence. He drops the jeans down on the comforter, along with his phone.

“What is it?” He hums, cutting across the room to stand in front of Juho.

“Promise?”

Juho’s face turns red the moment he says it, and he turns his head to avoid eye contact. “I mean, it was a stupid thing to say. I just...” His voice trails off, but, already having dug himself his own grave, he continues slowly. “I just get freaked out… Thinking of seeing him again.”

Seokwoo’s shoulders drop with understanding and he leans down, placing a hand on either side of the other. Juho’s gaze softens when he looks up at him, pouting. Seokwoo places a soft kiss against the other’s forehead, humming his response quietly. “I promise.”

Face blossoming with color, Juho brings his hands up in an attempt to conceal himself, looking up quickly at Seokwoo. “Shut up...”

“I promise,” Seokwoo stands back up, looking at the other with pride in his eyes, the emotion primarily diluted by fondness for the other. Once again, repeating himself, Seokwoo teases the other. “I _promise_...”

Juho, seemingly ready for death, almost embracing it with open arms, grabs a pillow and desperately smothers himself with it, hiding from Seokwoo. “You’re a dick.”

Scoffing, Seokwoo reaches over and grabs the jeans, leaving his phone on the bed. “I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Am not,” Seokwoo begins to leave the room, and Juho sits up slowly behind him, kicking his legs idly as he watches the other leave.

Quickly walking to the bathroom, Seokwoo shuts the door behind himself and slips off his sweats (which he had also stolen from Juho’s closet the night prior) and replaces them with the jeans he’d taken minutes before. He takes a moment to look around, shocked at the state of the room.

It’s immaculate, everything scrubbed down thoroughly and practically shimmering. Seokwoo can faintly smell the unmistakable scent of bleach. He can’t help but wonder if Juho had taken the time out of his day to clean the room so harshly simply because Seokwoo was visiting, or if he was just a clean freak. Either way, he’s endeared even further by the other.

He sticks out his lips, watching himself in the mirror. Slotting his fingers through his hair, he begins to smooth out the messy strands. It doesn’t take long until he looks presentable enough to go out, not worrying about reporters or photographers that may be lurking on the streets. The outfit he’d taken from Juho didn’t look half bad on him, and he wonders if Juho would be mad if he kept it for a while. He tucks in the shirt, grimaces, then pulls it back out, deciding that the look he’d had for only a split second should be seen by no other eyes but his.

As he’s about to leave, he notices something pink hanging on the back of the door.

Juho’s waiting outside for him, and chokes when he sees his sweater hanging off of Seokwoo’s shoulders when he throws the door open. “Where did you find that!?”

“I think it suits me,” Seokwoo ignores him, raising an arm to caress the soft material with his fingertips, “what do you think?”

“Take that off.”

“Hmm,” Seokwoo obliges, albeit slowly, and calmly slides the sweater over his head. Juho frowns, crossing his arms. “You know,” Seokwoo starts, causing the other to bite his lip, “you’re really cute.”

“Repeat yourself,” Juho commands, and Seokwoo laughs. Though, most of it comes out as obviously nervous, and it’s apparent to Juho.

“You’re cute.”

“You have no proof.”

Seokwoo cocks an eyebrow, placing his hands on his hips. “Well, I mean, you fell asleep next to me and I woke up to you cuddling with me,” he reasons, and Juho flushes. “Then, let’s see… Then, you got upset that I wanted to sleep, and ran over and cuddled with me.”

“That’s enough-”

“THEN,” Seokwoo cuts Juho off, raising a hand to silence him, “you… You just cuddle a lot.”

“I’m a very loving person,” Juho growls, menace in his stern gaze and tone.

The contradiction stalks past Seokwoo and into the bathroom, snatching the sweater back from him before locking himself inside the room. Seokwoo brings a hand up to his mouth, trying fervently to stifle his laugh. “Aw, don’t be like that.”

Through the door, Seokwoo can hear the other’s whining almost perfectly. “You’re ruining my image!”

“What image?”

The door is thrown open, and Juho steps back outside wearing the soft pink sweater. The sleeves hang down far over his hands, fingertips barely showing from underneath. His hair is perfectly unkempt, drying steadily in the warm air in the apartment. “I am cold and vicious.”

“Uh-huh...”

“Cold, vicious, and deadly. My looks could kill.”

Seokwoo nods, head bobbing up and down quickly. “Oh, absolutely. I don’t doubt it at all.”

Sensing the sarcasm in the other’s voice, as if it wasn’t obvious enough, Juho pouts. “What?”

“No, no,” Seokwoo waves a hand dismissively, walking towards the front door to grab his shoes. Juho follows at his heels, completely ready to leave for the day. “Nothing, I believe you.”

Opening the door, Juho steps out into the city. Seokwoo watches him, sliding his shoes on distantly. It felt like they were in two separate planes; one, inside a quiet, cold apartment, while the other fought against the haze and choked oxygen of a bustling city.

He walks outside, waiting for Juho to lock the door behind them before reaching forward, grabbing his hand. They would navigate the haze together, through the densely packed streets and sidewalks. Juho swings their interlocked hands between them absentmindedly, eyes scanning the surrounding crowd.

The further they walk, the more the crowd tightens around them, tired and still half asleep people going to their jobs or to their school, everyone having their own duties to get through during the day. Seokwoo feels a soft tug on his hand, and turns to see Juho motioning towards the crosswalk. He nods, crossing quickly with the other, the pavement slick underneath their shoes from the rain the night prior. Water still trickled down the asphalt, into drains and grates that were filling slowly. There’s a skip in Juho’s step as he leads the other through the throngs of people, not seeming to care when he brushed up against somebody else or was pushed gently by someone rushing to get to their workplace.

Seokwoo, on the other hand, _hated_ the closeness he felt with the people alongside him. Juho was fine, as he had gladly shown and been close to the other a plethora of times before, but with strangers…. It made him uneasy.

The sea of people seems to separate around the two, and Juho turns down another street, readjusting the way his hand fits against Seokwoo’s. It’s warm that morning, the sun just beginning to break through the clouds that had concealed it for the night. It was only going to get warmer, Seokwoo figures, and rolls his shoulders back.

He realizes that he’s left his phone in the other’s apartment, and sighs. Juho turns, eyes wide with bliss. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing,” Seokwoo reassures him, “nothing, it’s all good.”

He was relieved to get away from the device. He wouldn’t have to worry about anything but him and Juho for the, what he was assuming would be, hours they would be out for. He tightens his fingers around Juho’s, quickening his pace to walk alongside him calmly. “Nothing at all.”

“If you say so,” the older murmurs, turning to look up at the sky. Seokwoo looks around, watching the area around them turn from apartment buildings and complexes to stores and restaurants. He feels a gentle pull on his hand, and turns back to Juho, pursing his lips. “Is there anywhere specific that you want to go?”

After a moment of wondering, Seokwoo shakes his head, smiling. “Anywhere you want to.”

Juho sighs, looking around. “Well, there’s a few cafes nearby...”

“Then let’s go there,” Seokwoo insists, moving a bit closer to the other. Juho nods, obviously having one in mind. “I’ll pay.”

“Hm,” Juho ponders over the two last words Seokwoo had said for a moment, and shakes his head, “you fucking won’t.”

“Bet.”

“No, fuck you,” Juho murmurs, voice quiet. Seokwoo laughs, once again turning to watch the buildings change around them.

It’s quiet between them, the silence blissful and serene. There’s nothing awkward there, and nothing contrived of lies and unknowing, as there had been days before, as the two slept next to each other, unsure of their futures together.

Fate had bound them together, in such an odd and unusual way. There was no other explanation; without the mishaps and the vacation Seokwoo had nearly declined, they would have never found each other. Or, they would have never cared to learn more about each other. Seokwoo couldn’t explain how odd it felt, but how right it was at the same time. Things were working out for him, finally. When he was with Juho, nothing else mattered, and everything in his way seemed so small and unimportant.

Juho, on the other hand, was unsure.

The older pulls Seokwoo aside, stepping under the overhang of a quaint looking cafe with wide, glimmering windows. They were obviously just washed, fingerprints and smudges nonexistent on the clear glass, both sides being pristine and absolutely spotless. Seokwoo whistles quietly, reaching forward to pull the door open. Juho breaks his hand away, stepping inside quickly before him.

He waves to the woman behind the counter, who has familiarity written all over her face when she realizes who had come inside. “Juho,” she smiles fondly, leaning forward on the counter, “I thought I told you not to come around these parts anymore.”

“But I leave good tips,” he defends himself, and Seokwoo watches the two with amusement in his gaze. “ _And_ I’m your number one customer.”

She scoffs, raising her hands up in defeat. “You’ve made your points, I suppose.”

“Thank you, Nayeon.”

He leads Seokwoo to a table, nudging him towards the booth before going to grab two menus from a nearby stand. Seokwoo watches him, resting his cheek in his palm idly.

Juho comes back a moment later, setting the menu down in front of the other, biting his lip in thought.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah,” Juho nods, sitting down across from him. He nudges the other’s ankle with his shoe, flipping his menu open. “No need, you’re fine.”

Oddly, Seokwoo doesn’t mind the contact Juho seems to constantly initiate with him. It’s not overbearing or suffocating, as Seokwoo found most physical contact to be. He finds himself looking forward to it, even, waiting for the other’s hand to slip into his or for his arms to wrap tiredly around him.

They sit in silence, both scanning the menu quietly. Juho steals a look at Seokwoo, who notices but keeps his own eyes lowered. Juho’s linger over him for a moment before dropping back down, only to peek back at him from behind the menu a moment later.

Blankly, Seokwoo looks up at him. Juho ducks down, acting as if he’d never looked up in the first place. “Yes?”

“Nothing.”

Seokwoo nudges his knee against the other’s, grinning. “I saw you looking at me.”

“I was not.”

His grin turns to a smirk, and slowly Seokwoo reaches forwards and pulls the other’s menu down, exposing his quickly reddening face. “Sure you weren’t.”

“Alright, loser.”

“Hey,” Seokwoo’s expression morphs into a pout, and he cocks his head to the side. “You can’t call your b-.”

The silence that erupts after the clipped syllable leaves Seokwoo’s mouth is instantaneous.

 _Boyfriend_. That wasn’t correct, not in the slightest. Seokwoo bites his lip, leaning back against the booth. Juho averts his eyes, suddenly finding the wooden floors very interesting as he won’t look anywhere but the boards below them. They were still relatively new to each other; and they were just trying things out, weren’t they? They weren’t boyfriends outside of the public eye; their fake relationship being built from deceit and lies. In their own, private lives, they were just fooling around. At least, that’s what Seokwoo thinks, oblivious to mostly everything except the euphoria he feels when he’s with Juho. They weren’t dating, not formally. Seeing each other? Maybe, but it wasn’t serious. Not yet, at least. They were dancing around the subject every time they were together, just daring to skirt the edges of it with flirtatious conversation, but both too were too afraid to bring it up.

Juho decides to repair the bridge between them, the darkness between them brightening with the other’s attempt. “Should we go order?” He blatantly disregards Seokwoo’s prior statement.

“Yeah.”

They approach the counter slowly; Juho orders a regular black coffee, and Seokwoo orders a latte. Nayeon tries to make a joke, obviously sensing the tension between them,. It’s thick, choking out the room. What was once peaceful has become something worrying.

It doesn’t take long for Nayeon to make their drinks, and she slides them over the counter quickly. Juho hands her his card, and she mutters something about giving him a discount.

Bashfully, Juho pulls a handful of bills out of his pocket. “Well, these crisp fives are for you,” he muses, popping them into the glass jar next to the register. Nayeon raises an eyebrow.

“I forgot you were loaded.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say-”

“Why did I even give you a discount?”

She disappears behind the counter, coming back a few moments later with a small bag. She sets it on the counter, sliding it towards Juho. “We made too many croissants earlier.”

Incredulously, Juho looks up at her, eyebrows rising with surprise. “You… You sure?”

“Take them before I do,” she commands, and Juho nods, spinning on his heel to go back to the table. Seokwoo follows him slowly, dragging his sneakers against the floor as he walks.

Back at the booth, Juho finally decides he’s had enough of the situation. “Look, Seokwoo.”

The brunette looks up, his desperate gaze encouraging the other to continue.

“We don’t have to figure all of that out right now.” He brings a hand up, toying with his shirt collar nervously. “I mean, we’re both… Neither of us want to be hurt, you know?” He brings his hands down to his cup, fingers rubbing the rough material absentmindedly. “So it’s okay with me if we just ease into things, you know? We don’t have to have a label, not when it’s just us, but…”

“I like you,” Seokwoo blurts, shaking his head the moment he says it. Juho smiles, sighing softly.

“Well, I like you too.”

The silence becomes more relaxed, and Seokwoo feels the other’s leg brush against his softly. The gesture repairs the bridge fully, and Seokwoo leans forward on the table, elbows propped against it.

After another bout of silence, a group of teenagers enter the almost empty cafe, lingering in the doorway for a moment. Seokwoo suddenly feels what he’d felt earlier with Juho at the apartment, that he’s seeing into somebody else’s reality. He’s just a background to them, minuscule and unimportant when compared to what they were dealing with. Studying, finals… One of the girls hitches her backpack over her shoulder, readjusting it. A pencil case falls out of an open pocket, and, with a sheen of embarrassment over her face, she kneels down to pick it up.

Juho laughs quietly, shaking his head. “I miss high school.”

“Wait, seriously?” Seokwoo turns to look at him, eyes widening with surprise. “How could you miss that place?”

The older shrugs, blue hair bouncing with the movement. “It was simpler than things are now. I had other people looking out for me.”

“Hey,” Seokwoo frowns, “I’m looking out for you.”

“Well you’re different.”

“Oh, am I?”

“Of course,” Juho scoffs, taking a slow sip of his coffee, “why wouldn’t you be?”

The group moves to the counter, and Seokwoo notices one of the girls looking at him and Juho with wide eyes. He smiles at her and she smiles back, and where he believes she’ll come over to introduce herself as most of his fans did, she just turned back to her friends and continued to speak as if nothing had happened in the first place.

Juho leans back against the booth, bringing his cup to his lips. Seokwoo turns back to him, about to ask about that night, but he’s cut off by the sharp buzzing of Juho’s phone.

The older groans, picking it up absentmindedly before looking to the caller ID. He answers it, setting his cup on the table.

“Hello?”

Seokwoo watches the other’s face. The way he bites his lip, nod slowly while listening to the other speak. His gaze flickers over Seokwoo, then to the door. “Yes, he’s right here.”

He hands the phone over the table, eyebrow raising with curiosity. Seokwoo takes the device calmly, raising it to his ear. “Hey, it’s Seokwoo.”

“ _It’s Hyungsik._ ”

“Oh!” Seokwoo recognizes the voice instantly, but can only feel a twinge of nervousness arise. He sounded off. “What’s up?”

“ _Well,_ ” Hyungsik laughs, and the phone shifts, a small buzz of static crossing the line between them, “ _Yugyeom’s talking about you._ ”

“Oh,” Seokwoo repeats, fingers tracing the table. Juho hears the anger in his voice and looks up, worry prominent in his gaze. Seokwoo ignores him when he tries to ask him a question. _What’s wrong?_

“ _I’m texting Juho the pictures of the conversation now, can you take a look for me?”_

“Of course. I’ll just answer you there, okay?”

“ _Yeah_ -”

Seokwoo hangs up, cutting off the other’s sentence harshly. Juho doesn’t mind Seokwoo opening up his conversations, obviously content with the fact that he has nothing to hide. But the other’s state worries him, so he leans forward to peek at his phone’s screen. “What’s wrong, Seok’?”

“Hold on,” Seokwoo murmurs, biting his lip when the conversation appears. An unknown number sends over pictures of a group chat’s conversation, and Seokwoo almost doesn’t want to read what they say. Though, knowing it’s important, he selects the first and begins reading it slowly, taking in everything the screen has to offer.

**[GC]** **JACKSON THREE**

**JACKSON** **✿** **:** **i’d like to make a case**

**ME: Sure lmao**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: letsgetit**

**JACKSON** **✿ :** **we should add other actors here**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: what about vloggers?**

**ME: :D Yugyeom no**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: you’re an idiot, yugyeom**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: :( i’m being fr**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: FR fr**

**ME: Juho’s with Seokwoo.**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: STRAIGHT TO THE POINT**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: NO TIME TO BREATHE IN THIS HOUSE**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: lmao do u really think I care tho**

**ME: …**

**ME: Yes?**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: if juho saw me in the same room as him, he’d forget all about seokwoo**

**ME: :/**

**ME: it’s been a year, just let him move on**

**ME: this game you’re playing is sick and cruel**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: He’s right**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: You guys are over**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: haha**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: juho would probably love to know about you and seokwoo hooking up, right?**

**JACKSON** **✿** **: You fucking wouldn’t.**

**YUGYEOM** **✿** **: bet** **(❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)**

**ME: You’re actually a prick.**

Seokwoo feels sick, won’t even bring himself to read the last texts Hyungsik had sent. Juho swipes the phone from his hand, grumbling something. He watches Seokwoo, waits for him to reach for the phone or let him know not to look, before turning his attention down to the device.

He stares at the phone in silence, eyes darting over every word. Seokwoo cringes, feeling like a stranger in his own skin. He doesn’t know why, but Yugyeom’s gotten into his head, under his skin like a parasitic infestation, making his nerves pound and his blood tickle as it ran through his veins.

“Well,” Juho mutters, setting the phone down so its screen touches the table, “I said we were gonna give them hell, right?”

* * *

Seokwoo pouts, feeling the soft tip of Jaeyoon’s lipstick skim over his lips. He watches Taeyang and Youngkyun laugh at something on the youngest’s computer, both wrapped up tightly underneath a blanket together on Seokwoo’s couch.

Since they were the only two not attending the party, Seokwoo had allowed them to stay at his apartment for the night. He figured they’d want to do _something_ relatively fun, and Seokwoo did have subscriptions for practically every video streaming service there was… Some were gifts, while others were simply for him to watch the newest dramas.

“You’re gonna look great,” Jaeyoon promised, tone low and voice like honey. He had gotten ready before coming over, a loose black shirt hanging over red jeans. He always looked good, finding his appearance at the top of his priorities no matter what. He’d spent plenty of time on his makeup, Seokwoo can see that easily. His face looks like porcelain, lips red while his eyes were dark, every edge sharp and every curve accentuated. “I’m sure there’ll be plenty of cameras there...”

Taeyang glances up from Youngkyun’s laptop screen, raising an eyebrow. “You look like a doll.”

“A cute doll?”

Youngkyun pauses the video he had been playing, cocking his head to the side. He squints, drawing his lips together tightly in a concentrated expression. “You know those Russian nesting dolls…?”

“Oh my God.”

Jaeyoon gasps, turning sharply to glare at the two on the couch. “Don’t patronize him! He looks great.”

In the time Jaeyoon’s distracted, Seokwoo turns to check himself out in the mirror they had set up against the couch earlier that night. He parts his lips in surprise, breathing out his shock slowly. His cheeks look flushed, as if the cold outside had whipped against them angrily, while his eyes are lined sharply, but dulled down by the soft, light eye shadow surrounding them. Jaeyoon turns back, smirking at the other’s expression. “You like it?”

“How could I not?”

“Well, let me finish your lips,” Jaeyoon grumbles, finishing with the lipstick before pressing the cap back on. When it clicks, he turns and places the makeup in his bag, straining his neck to look up to the other. “Go get changed, your face looks great but your outfit...” He grimaces. Seokwoo widens his eyes, offense obviously noticeable on his face.

“Juho said I looked nice in this.”

“Juho _lied_ ,” Jaeyoon hisses, standing up. Seokwoo slinks away, ashamed and afraid of himself and the other’s harsh judgment. Jaeyoon hears Seokwoo mumble something under his breath, and with one soft shout, Seokwoo runs towards his room.

He comes back a minute later, holding a handful of clothes to his chest. “I can’t wear this.”

Incredulously, Jaeyoon stares back at him. He growls out a sharp, “why not?”

Seokwoo flashes the clothes at him, setting a pair of black jeans down on the table. “Well, those are fine, but...” He raises the black fishnets Jaeyoon had given him, thrashing his arm through the air. They swing lifelessly in his fist. “What the fuck are _these_!?”

Jaeyoon scoffs. “You wear them under your jeans.”

“Why the fuck would anyone do that?”

“They look good!” Jaeyoon defends himself and his sense of style, seemingly very ready to go to death in that moment for both the things he was getting worked up over.

Shaking his head, Seokwoo pulls off his shirt and pulls on the white tee that had been given to him, snatching the ripped jeans off of the table. “Well, fine…” Jaeyoon looks thrilled. Seokwoo clarifies himself. “If I hate the fishnets they’re coming off.”

“You won’t hate them.”

“Uh,” Seokwoo blanches at him, raising an eyebrow, “how could I not?”

“I look fucking great,” Seokwoo brushes his hair back with a hand, gawking at himself in the mirror. Taeyang clicks the keyboard of Youngkyun’s laptop loudly, pausing their video yet again. “What do I do with my hair?”

Jaeyoon, from where he’s leaned against the wall with his phone out far in front of him, offers a quick, “nothing” before snapping another picture of himself, the sound of the camera shutter echoing through the apartment.

“Just mess it up a bit,” Youngkyun hums, waving a hand dismissively. “You look fine, you don’t need to fuck with your hair.”

“But...” The rest of Seokwoo’s statement goes unsaid, as Taeyang’s stare shuts him right up.

“You are fine,” Taeyang punctuates every word with a soft slap of his palm against his knee. “At this point, you’re already about to kill the entire party with your makeup alone.”

From across the room, Jaeyoon whoops happily. “You’re welcome!”

“Shut up,” Youngkyun calls back, leaning back against the couch.

Jaeyoon huffs, but obliges, standing up to walk over to Seokwoo. He grabs his hand, gushing excitedly. “We should go, right?”

“Yeah,” Seokwoo nods, nervousness eating away at him. He walks to the kitchen, unhooking Jaeyoon’s fingers from his as he reaches for his phone on the table.

He expects at least one text from Juho, but there’s nothing there, and the silence makes him feel dizzy. Something was going to go wrong, he just _knew_ it. Lightheaded and feeling somewhat nauseous, though he was completely healthy, Seokwoo walks outside in front of Jaeyoon.

The streets are alive under the night sky, lights illuminating the streets happily. There’s a buzz in the air, and Jaeyoon is enjoying the atmosphere immensely, pulling out his phone to record himself. He speaks quickly, and Seokwoo’s too frightful to catch even one word of the other’s excited gibberish.

He feels Jaeyoon arm loop around his, and he turns to look at the other, swallowing thickly. Jaeyoon pauses, slowly lowering his phone. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.”

The anxiety has a hold on him, dragging his heart and mind through the depths of every nasty feeling it could conjure up within itself. Seokwoo hadn’t felt like this for years; not even his unsure fear for the future from the beginning of the week topped the worry he felt now. Jaeyoon slides his phone back into his pocket, expertly navigating the two of them through the crowds of the city. “Is it about Yugyeom?”

Seokwoo shrugs, feeling goosebumps when he knows people are looking at him and Jaeyoon. There’s a murmur of recognition from the people surrounding them, and a path seems to etch itself in front of them, people stepping out of their way as if they were forcefully pushed. “I don’t know, maybe?”

Nodding, Jaeyoon steps in front of the other and pulls him along, worried that if he lets go Seokwoo will turn and run back home. “I’ll be here, and so will Sanghyuk and Youngbin. Oh, and Inseong and Chanhee.” He grins back at Seokwoo, squeezing his hand reassuringly. “We’ll all be looking out for you, alright?”

“Alright.”

Jaeyoon nods, quickening his pace. Seokwoo was grateful for the other, because though his words didn’t calm him much, his presence certainly did. He was so carefree, accepting of practically everything. It seemed like he always had a plan, and when he didn’t, one would be created without him even needing to try.

The location wasn’t far, and Seokwoo knows they’re closing in on it when he sees the flash of a camera out of the corner of his eyes. “Really?” He whispers, turning to look at the reporter. He absolutely _hated_ the attention the slowly growing mass of photographers was creating.He tries a smile, but it comes out as more of a withheld wince.

“Hey, you should be grateful for this.”

“Oh, why’s that?”

Jaeyoon seems shocked that Seokwoo can’t figure that out on his own, and that he needs to explain it for him. “If you show up with the media raving about you, it’s obviously going to intimidate.”

Suddenly, Seokwoo is in love with the attention, and cocks his head to the side as he flashes a grin at the group trailing beside them. He raises a hand, waving it halfheartedly. Jaeyoon pulls some sort of exaggerated expression, desperate to show off the new look he was showcasing.

Soon, the older stops in front of a tall building, and Seokwoo stares at it with a drowning fear nagging at him. He’s dragged inside regardless, and Jaeyoon leads him to the elevator after being waved through by the security next to the desk.

He presses a finger to the upwards arrow on the wall, waiting idly next to Seokwoo for the doors to open up for them.

The quiet between them is definitely awkward, and Jaeyoon turns to pat him on the shoulder. “Don’t be nervous,” he hums, adjusting the neck of his shirt subconsciously. The wall opens up before them, and hesitantly, Seokwoo follows Jaeyoon inside the elevator. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

Well, Seokwoo had definitely believed him. In fact, for the first ten minutes after they had entered the party, he had strongly agreed that things were absolutely fine.

Then, they got separated, and now Seokwoo stood alone in the kitchen, surrounded by people he didn’t know and who clearly didn’t care for him since he was exiled from the acting community practically entirely. Mina hadn’t texted him since his manager had dropped him, but there could be plenty of reasons to justify that. He’s sure that his manager had been keeping his old friends from contacting him. Hyungsik would obviously disobey, as he always did, though.

He makes his way to a table in the center of the kitchen, grabbing one of the bottles off of it without checking the label. It’s heavy, obviously not a favorite of anybody who was at the party yet, but Seokwoo feels he’ll be back for the bottle again. He grabs a cup, fills it, and takes a long sip of the drink.

It’s strong, and it burns his throat when he swallows it. But the feeling it leaves behind is warm and awfully pleasing. He hates that he enjoys it, throwing his head back as he finishes the cup. Somebody from nearby laughs, clapping him on the shoulder. He doesn’t recognize her, but her face is red and her eyes are bloodshot; she was horribly familiar with places like this.

He fills the cup again and leaves the kitchen, almost wrestling through the bodies in the room to look for somebody familiar. The music is too loud for him to even hear the people shouting next to him, and he’s unsure if he’s thankful for it when he sees a couple grinding on each other in the corner, both shouting and laughing.

He looks around, looking for anyone. Really, he wants Juho, missing the other’s presence terribly. He begins to walk towards the apartment’s living room, turning from side to side as he searches for anybody he knew.

Somebody slips past him, and he almost cries when he sees Chanhee’s familiar dark hair bounce as he walks away, unaware of who he’d just passed. Seokwoo grabs his shoulder with his free hand, eyes pleading for the other to come back. Chanhee, turning and seeing him, obviously hurries to stand in front of the other, bringing his mouth to the other’s ear in an attempt to speak to him without the complication of the music getting in the way.

“Where’s Juho?” Chanhee shouts. Seokwoo shakes his head.

“No idea, I’ve been looking.”

He hears a laugh, and Chanhee motions to the drink in his hand. “Looking or getting tipsy?”

Smirking, Seokwoo swirls the drink in his hand. “Can’t a guy do a little bit of both?”

They talk for a moment more, but eventually Chanhee ends up leaving to find Inseong. Seokwoo continues searching for somebody he knows.

His phone buzzes in his back pocket, and he pulls it out, leaning against the nearest wall as he opens up his social media.

Youngkyun had tagged him in something on Twitter, and, grinning at the post, Seokwoo types out a response eagerly.

** HWI (@eternihwi) **

**@kswofficial can u grab some ice cream on ur way back…**

****\------SEOKIE**** **(@** **kswofficial)**  
**[IN RESPONSE TO [** **@eternihwi** **] There’s some in the freezer :P**

While he’s there, he checks his timeline, fingers freezing over the screen.

It’s filled with pictures of Yugyeom, whether they were selfies or the ones taken not even ten minutes ago from the reports Seokwoo had passed on his way here. “Fuck.”

He closes the app, opening up Snapchat, where he sees Jackson’s story is the latest one to be posted to. He clicks it quickly, vigorously clicking away from selfies and videos until he sees the one face he’s terrified to be near. There’s Yugyeom, posed against a wall with a small cluster of actors around him. Seokwoo feels sick, remembering and realizing that the other was with him now.

He closes the app and goes back to Twitter. An unopened DM sits in his requests, and he opens it angrily, tilting his head back before forcing himself to drink the entirety of his cup before reading the message Yugyeom had sent him days before.

****. (@** ** ****YUGYEOM** ** ****)** ** **  
** ****-** ** ****Do you think you’re special or something?** **

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

Seokwoo’s ready to send him a response, typing one out angrily, but just as he’s about to hit send he feels a soft tug on his sleeve.

He looks up to see Sanghyuk, relief in his gaze as he turns off his phone, pushing it into his pocket. Sanghyuk takes his cup, hands him a new one, and laughs drunkenly. “Are you _trying_ to get plastered?”

“Duh,” Seokwoo sighs, taking a quick sip of the new cup before grimacing. It was stronger than he expected. Sanghyuk hums, slotting his fingers through his hair. “You seen Juho?”

Sanghyuk shakes his head, and Seokwoo nods. “I should find him, then,” he politely excuses himself from the situation, thanking Sanghyuk for the drink before heading out further into the mass of people. The unsent message on his phone sits forgotten in his back pocket, the memory of him even typing it a bit fuzzy.

He’s ready to turn around and go back to Sanghyuk when he can’t find Juho, but stops. There’s an all-too familiar flash of blue hair across the room, and he quickly makes his way towards it, fighting through the drunken mass of people swaying and dancing, stopping when he’s within range of the other just enough to hear him perfectly. There’s still a bit of distance between them, but now that he’d found him, he wasn’t worried.

The music wasn’t as loud on the other side of the apartment, the speakers turning away from that side sharply. It’s still loud, but not in a way that makes Seokwoo want to tear his hair out.

“I’m just thinking,” somebody muses, causing Seokwoo to break away from staring at Juho to see who’s beside him, “that we should talk about things.”

Yugyeom has his hand resting on Juho’s arm, and his grip on the other is firm, holding him there like a hostage. “You left so suddenly that night.”

Seokwoo’s expecting to see the fire in Juho that he’d seen when they’d first met. The hatred, the anger… Anything that made him seem so powerful and intimidating to Seokwoo, he’s ready for.

What he isn’t ready for is a subdued shake of the head, or a soft frown to grace the other’s features. He doesn’t speak, and can’t even look at the other. Yugyeom terrified him, and it was painful to see. Seokwoo takes a step forward, cringing at the feeling of nausea that sweeps over him.

“Come on, please? I know how wrong I was, I want to apologize.”

Seokwoo continues to walk towards them, regaining his balance and bearings slowly. Juho tears his arm away, crossing his own angrily. “I don’t want to talk to you,” he says suddenly, shocking Seokwoo with the aggression in his voice, “ _ever_ again. I don’t care what you have to say.”

Yugyeom flashes a brittle smile, unaffected by the other’s words. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

“You don’t,” Yugyeom continues, bringing his hand back to the other. He rests it on Juho’s shoulder this time, the grin never once leaving his face. “You _need_ me.”

Juho scoffs. “Since when would I ever need you?”

Seokwoo stops where he is, only a few steps away from the two. Though, he couldn’t have felt more disconnected from Juho.

“You owe me everything,” Yugyeom hums. Juho’s arms drop down to his sides, but he raises them to push the other back.

“I owe you nothing.”

“Oh, you’re right, I’m sorry,” Yugyeom pouts, raising his hands up in a mockingly defensive position, “for the year I had to put up with you and your incessant whining and bitching, you owe me nothing.”

Juho bites his lip, takes a deep breath in to still himself, then turns to walk away. He locks gazes with Seokwoo, relieved to see him. “Rot in hell, Yugyeom.”

Seokwoo doesn’t realize that Yugyeom’s holding a drink until it’s thrown at Juho, and he doesn’t realize he’s grabbed the other by the collar of his shirt until Yugyeom’s laughing in his face, eyes wide with disbelief of the mess he’d just caused. Juho stands behind Seokwoo, sputtering over the alcohol he’s trying to swipe off of his face. He’s covered in it, face and shirt drenched in the sickly sweet liquid.

Sanghyuk seems to sense something’s wrong and comes over in seconds, completely still and stoic though he was clearly wasted. If it wasn’t obvious, he was Juho’s best friend. He takes off his jacket, offering it to the other to wipe his face off with. Beneath the anger and hatred Seokwoo feels for Yugyeom, he worries that some of the alcohol had gotten into Juho’s eyes. He wants to ask him if he’s okay, but he’s tongue tied and can only stare at the other with pity in his gaze.

A crowd had begun to form around the group.

With petrified eyes, Juho looks to Seokwoo, and that ruins any chance of Yugyeom leaving his grip unscathed.

Seokwoo can’t tell if he momentarily blacks out, channels Cthulhu, or just moves too quickly to register his own actions, but when he looks back to Yugyeom the brunette is stumbling backwards, hands clutching his face. He can’t tell if there’s blood, and frankly doesn’t care as he grabs the other’s arm and shoves him to the ground.

Yugyeom stays there and Seokwoo turns, barely registering the entire room staring at him. He plucks a drink from somebody’s hand, not caring about who it belonged to or what it was, and crouches down next to the brunette. “Couldn’t mind your own business, huh?”

Spitting, Yugyeom pulls a hand away from his nose. Seokwoo sees the blood, grimacing slightly. He doesn’t feel bad, definitely not, but the scene reminds him of when Juho had punched him and that pain had been everything but a fun experience. “Fuck you,” Yugyeom snarls, scrunching his face with pain the moment the words pass his lips.

“You’re pathetic.”

Not wanting to waste another second on the other, Seokwoo pours the drink out over him, standing up to go to Juho. There’s lights in his face, cameras clicking and videos shooting the scene. He wonders whose side the bystanders are on, or if they even cared about picking sides.

“Fuck,” Sanghyuk remarks, face bright with color. Juho doesn’t say anything, shoulders trembling. Seokwoo doesn’t want him to say anything.

“Let’s go,” Seokwoo reaches over to Juho, grabbing his arm. He doesn’t know how, but though his body is tense and his anger, adrenaline, and the alcohol are the only things powering him, his grip on the other is gentle; soft motions easing the other’s shaking. “Come on,” he urges, fingers trailing down the older’s arm slowly, “let’s get out of here...”

Juho nods, bringing a hand up to grab Seokwoo’s.

Sanghyuk leads them outside, and Inseong and Jaeyoon meet them along the way, having witnessed the scene unfold from the back of the crowd. They try to ask the two questions on the way out, but the music blares louder the closer they all get to the door, and they’re ultimately drowned out.

Once outside, however, Juho throws himself against Seokwoo, burying his face into the other’s shirt. Seokwoo wraps his arms tightly around the other’s shoulders, holding him fast against him. “It’s okay...”

“What the fuck just happened?”

A new voice joins the small crowd, and Youngbin steps outside, dragging Chanhee with him.

“Yugyeom threw a drink in Juho’s face.”

Chanhee rips himself from Youngbin’s grip, following him to the other four outside. “Are you serious?”

“No,” Inseong stares at the youngest, “he’s covered in beer for no reason.”

“Well fuck.”

Seokwoo feels Juho begin to breathe a bit more slowly, calming down just slightly. He brings a hand to the other’s cheek, thumb rubbing away any traces of tears that may have once resided there. He’s thankful he isn’t in the same state as Sanghyuk, as he would have easily been taken down by the other if he were as plastered as the blonde. He’s slightly tipsy, but every moment his adrenaline makes him more alert. “You’re fine,” he reassures, keeping one arm securely around Juho’s shoulders. “We’re going home, okay?”

The group heads towards the elevator, all mentally and physically exhausted from not only the fight, but the riveting twenty minutes they’d been at the party. Sanghyuk slams a hand forcefully into the buttons, stumbling forward and falling against the wall. Youngbin snakes an arm around his waist, having to hold him to allow the other to stand. “Come on...”

The doors open swiftly in front of the group, and Seokwoo brings Juho inside first, followed by Sanghyuk being dragged in by Youngbin, while those of the group who were sober file in after them. Inseong leans against the wall, eyes scanning the group slowly. Chanhee yawns, looking up to him tiredly. “What’s that look for?”

“I’m proud of you guys.”

Seokwoo wipes his hand against his shirt, seeing a spot of blood stain the white material. “You sure?”

“Of course,” Inseong nods. “Everyone except Sanghyuk, he knows he can’t handle alcohol.”

The silence that had remained docile during Inseong’s speech strikes again, leaving them all uncomfortable and left alone to their thoughts. Jaeyoon plans on having none of that and smirks.

“We’re never getting invited to another party again, are we?”

“Oh, absolutely not,” Youngbin responds, shaking his head. Sanghyuk laughs against his shoulder, practically shrieking. “Oh, honey...”

The six exit the elevator in the lobby, all walking to the door together. Inseong pulls Juho gently from under Seokwoo’s arm, hugging him softly, pink hair being pushed around in the wind. “I’m sorry.”

Sniffling, Juho looks up at him. “Why?”

“Because I wasn’t there to stop him.”

Sanghyuk points at Inseong angrily, rocking back and forth. He falls backwards, and thankfully Youngbin’s able to catch him before he busts his ass on the pavement. “He’s _my_ best friend...”

Inseong doesn’t even have time to respond before Sanghyuk repeats himself, louder this time. “ _My_ best friend! Stay the fuck away from him, friend stealing… Whore…”

Youngbin hands him off to Jaeyoon, walking over to Seokwoo to grab his hands. “Keep an eye on him, okay? I need to bring that fuckass home...”

“I love youuuuu,” Sanghyuk giggles happily from where he’s locked in Jaeyoon arms, staring longingly at Youngbin. The brunette blushes, eyes widening.

“You what!?”

“I’m drunk!”

“Fucking idiot.” Chanhee grumbles, walking over to stand beside Inseong. Jaeyoon pushes Sanghyuk back to Youngbin, wiping his hands on his jeans.

Quietly, Inseong wishes the group a goodnight and begins to walk Chanhee and Jaeyoon back to their apartments, taking a quick look back at Juho. “Take care, okay?”

“If anybody looks at him wrong, I’ll kill them,” Seokwoo assures, and Inseong shoots him a thumbs up.

Youngbin apologizes that he’s leaving, motioning to Sanghyuk with a sad gesture. “He’s done for.”

Juho pouts, looking at his friend. “This is probably a lot to ask, but...”

He doesn’t even need to finish his question. Youngbin nods, smiling. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll stay with him.” He readjusts his hands around the other’s waist, holding Sanghyuk against himself tightly. “He’s nothing but trouble.”

“Thank you,” Juho whispers, voice low. Youngbin grins.

“Don’t, it’s all good.” He begins to turn away, yawning. “Goodnight, guys.”

“Goodnight,” Seokwoo murmurs, watching him leave as he stands underneath the overhang of the apartment complex, arm around Juho’s shoulders as they stand in silence, watching the streets aimlessly.

* * *

“Hey, I have some clothes here,” Seokwoo knocks on the bathroom door, feeling it creak open under his shoulder. He hands the articles through the crack, feeling Juho’s hand brush against his as he grabs them from him.

“Thank you,” he calls through the door, shutting it quickly as to not let the hot air from the shower out of the room. The apartment was freezing, the A/C blasting unforgivingly into the space.

Seokwoo sits down on the floor in front of the door, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. “Don’t thank me.”

****. (@**** **YUGYEOM** **)**  
**-** **Do you think you’re special or something?**

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

****\- [DELETED MESSAGE]** **

**man-destroyer (@kswofficial)**

****-I** ** **f you ever contact Juho again, I promise you you’ll have much worse than a broken nose. Keep him out of your sick fucking games.**

****-Actually, wait, keep EVERYONE out of your games. If I hear about you pulling this same shit on somebody else… I WILL end you.** **

****. (@YUGYEOM)** **

****-I can contact the police.** **

****man-destroyer (@kswofficial)** **

****-You threw the first drink.** **

****-Just stay away from him. He deserves none of this.** **

****-You’re probably the worst person I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.** **

****[YOU CAN NO LONGER SEND DIRECT MESSAGES TO @YUGYEOM.]** **

** **[WHY?]** **

Seokwoo sighs, sliding his phone back into his pocket. The bathroom door opens and Juho steps out, shivering from the cold instantly. Tiredly, Seokwoo looks up to him and smiles, standing. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah,” he mumbles, hair falling in front of his face, “thank you.”

Brushing it back gently, Seokwoo murmurs a soft, “don’t thank me,” reaching down to grab the other’s hand. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

“It’s not your fault!”

Shrugging, Seokwoo follows Juho to the bedroom, slipping away from him to sit on the edge of the bed. Juho goes over to his side, plugging his phone into the wall idly.

“I know, but… It was so fucked up.”

“He’s a fucked up guy.”  
“He’s more fucked up now, though.” Seokwoo looks up, paling. “I think I broke his nose.”

Juho can’t help but laugh, shaking his head slowly. “You didn’t, he would have been screaming if you had.”

It’s morbid, but Seokwoo feels for the most part unaffected. Yugyeom got what was coming to him. Jackson and Hyungsik had both agreed when they’d called Seokwoo earlier, apologizing profusely for the other’s actions. He doesn’t feel guilty, but he isn’t proud of himself, either. He views the experience as something that had simply happened, and hopes it will never have to happen again.

Juho slides into bed, holding up the blankets for Seokwoo when he joins him a moment later. “Let’s just go to sleep,” he murmurs. Seokwoo hears the edge in his voice and sighs, bringing a hand up to play with his hair softly, trying to give the other a sense of security.

“It’s all okay now,” he murmurs, and Juho nods, but something’s definitely still on his mind. Seokwoo can see it in the way his eyes dart around the room, never settling and never tiring. He had said he wanted to sleep, yet he showed that he clearly wasn’t going to. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! I just...”

“You just..?”

Turning to look at the ceiling, Juho avoids looking at Seokwoo. He’s about to speak, but feels intimidated and shrinks back underneath the blankets, glancing at Seokwoo again. “Can you go turn off the light?”

Without saying a word, Seokwoo gets up and searches for the light switch, cheering himself on silently when he finds it nestled beside the other’s dresser.

He goes back to the bed, seeing Juho watching him with intent eyes. “What’s up, brother?”

“What?”

“Nothing, sorry.” Seokwoo laughs, feeling the exhaustion of the night’s events begin to settle over him. Juho hums, moving a bit closer to the other so he can wrap an arm around him.

“Thank you.”

“Stop thanking me.”

There’s a soft pause, and Seokwoo jumps when he feels something press against his cheek quickly. “What the fuck was that?”

Nervously, Juho sits up. “I… Kissed you?”

“Oh!” Seokwoo laughs, then pauses. “Oh.”

Blinking, Juho watches him with worried eyes. “Sorry, was that-”

Seokwoo cuts him off immediately, sitting up next to him. “No, no! It just startled me, trust me it’s all good.”

“Then… Can I do it again?”

Dubiously, Seokwoo nods. “Do you really think you need to ask me?”

“Well, I wanted to make sure-!”

Seokwoo closes the distance between them, hands snaking around Juho’s waist haphazardly. He pulls him closer, bringing a hand up to the back of his neck to make sure that he was more comfortable in the position. Juho kisses back slowly, but after a moment eases into things, placing his hands on Seokwoo’s shoulders to steady himself.

When they break apart, Juho brings his forehead to rest against Seokwoo’s, eyes closed as he breathes heavily. Seokwoo feels fully awake, heart fluttering from the contact. He brings his lips back to Juho’s, kissing him again chastely.

“Seokwoo,” Juho gasps, hands slipping down to the other’s hips. The room is tense, waiting for the next move. Outside, even the city seems to hold its breath, waiting for somebody to fill the gap of silence.

“Let’s be together.”

“I mean, I was gonna say you bit my lip and I think it’s bleeding, but yeah I mean I want that too.”

Worriedly, Seokwoo grabs the other’s face and tilts it, eyes narrowing as he inspects his lips. “Are you serious!? What is it with me and hurting people...”

After another bout of silence, Seokwoo looks up at him. “Wait, did you say you wanted to...”

“Yeah.”

“Oh! Fuck,” Seokwoo breathes, laughing quietly. “Fuck...”

Juho flushes, bashfully throwing his arms around the other’s shoulders. Unsteady from the other’s sudden movement, Seokwoo falls back onto the bed, grinning as he turns onto his side to hold the other tightly against himself.

Slowly, Juho had pulled the blankets up further around them, resting his head against the other’s chest as his hands had traveled to his shirt, clutching the material gently. Seokwoo, still clutching the other like a lifeline, closes his eyes.

“Your hand’s on my ass.”

“Oh, fuck,” Seokwoo brings his hand up, making sure it’s on the other’s back before settling back down next to him, “sorry.”

Seokwoo, feeling awkward after the exchange, cracks an eye open. He catches Juho looking back at him. “Did you want my hand on your ass?”

“No.”

“Okay, good to know.”

They close their eyes again, Juho burying his face into Seokwoo’s shirt with embarrassment prominent in every movement he makes. Seokwoo holds him closely, fingers aimlessly tracing circles over his back. He’s happy, and, as he begins to fall asleep, he feels Juho place another kiss lazily against the corner of his mouth.

“Goodnight,” Juho whispers, before he’s lulled to sleep by Seokwoo’s rhythmic, soft breathing. “I...” He falls asleep before he can finish his sentence, fists curling tighter against the other’s shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI :(  
> im so sad this is the final chapter, i hope you enjoyed whatever the FUCK this was (a mess and a half, being honest).  
> thank you sososososossososoososososososossosososososo much for reading and keeping up with this :( im so grateful for you. i never thought this fic would really be interesting to anyone, and i found it difficult to even bring myself to post it. but so many of the people who have read this have left such wonderful comments and questions for me, and it's motivated me so much :( thank you so much. you mean the WORLD to me fr fr fr fr   
> please always take care of yourselves, i love u so much :( ♡   
> i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hope youre having a good day/evening, and i hope it only gets better for u!! ♡   
> until next time ♡   
> -elise
> 
> cc: https://curiouscat.me/blossomfic  
> twt: https://twitter.com/blossomfic


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